Russell Westbrook To Wear No. 4 Jersey With Washington Wizards

Getty Images Russell Westbrook during the fourth quarter against the Lakers in Game 5

Russell Westbrook has worn No. 0 during his entire NBA career with the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That will change. 

According to the Wizards, Russell Westbrook will wear No. 4.

No. 0 hasn’t been used by Washington since Gilbert Arenas last wore it on January 5, 2010.

Per a source: Westbrook wore No. 4 in YMCA & rec-league while growing up in Los Angeles.

 

 

According to The Big Lead: There could be two possibilities:

1). Wizards don’t want anyone to wear it so they can distance themselves from Arenas.

2). Agent Zero in such high regard that they’re doing it out of honor for the three time All-NBA player.

Gilbert Arenas spent eight years with the Washington Wizards. During those years he went toe to toe with LeBron James during his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Arenas averaged 25 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game.

Westbrook was traded from the Rockets to the Washington Wizards for John Wall.

Million Dollar Question: If Westbrook doesn’t wear No. 0, then what?

 

I’m also told that Westbrook likes the No. 3. But, Bradley Beal current wears No. 3.

The significance of that number is quite special. Khelcey Barrs III was a basketball player at Leuzinger High School, where Westbrook attended.

Barrs  had hopes of going to UCLA and playing together. Barrs’ life was cut short when he collapsed at Los Angeles Southwest College gymnasium.

Per Sportscasting.com: Westbrook was not on the court when Barrs passed away. But Westbrook credited the tragedy with taking his determination to the next level.

 

Russell Westbrook averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebound, seven assists and 1.6 steals per game in his first season with the Rockets. A nine-time NBA All-Star, Westbrook was traded to the Rockets last offseason in exchange for Chris Paul. Westbrook was on the inaugural Thunder team in 2008-09 after the team moved to OKC from Seattle. He made an immediate impact as a rookie, then proceeded to become one of the most dominant players in the league — and eventually the face of the OKC franchise.

After spending eight seasons partially in the shadow of Kevin Durant, Westbrook delivered three of the most dominant seasons in NBA history, averaging a triple double each year from 2016-17 through 2018-19 and winning the MVP award in 2017 along with his second scoring title.

Westbrook let Rockets ownership that he wanted out of Houston.

The trade betwen the Wizards and the Rockets reunites Wes with his ex-Thunder coach Scott Brooks.

Westbrook welcomes his new opportunity in the NBA’s Eastern Conference and with his former coach, I’m told. “They had some good years,” a person close to the situation shared with me.

“They fought some battles. Here they are again.”

John Wall spent ten years in a Wizards uniform.

“Dear DC, Where do I even begin,” Wall wrote via Instagram and Twitter.

“Ten years is a long time to think back on. I came to DC as a skinny 19 year old with big dreams and goals. You embraced me and my family with open arms. You rocked with me from day 1 until now.”

A five-time NBA All Star, Wall was drafted by the Wizards in 2010 out of the University of Kentucky.

In ten seasons with the team, he has a career average of 19 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game.

Now a member of the Houston Rockets, Wall will join forces with All-Star, James Harden and in former Kentucky Wildcats teammate DeMarcus Cousins.

Although Wall departed DC, one person who has respect for Wall’s game is Gilbert Arenas and you’ll never guess why. “His longevity,” Arenas told One37.com’s Landon Buford.

“Because people try to say I am, but he has played in Washington longer than I did. My impact was probably greater because I came on like a rocket, but his longevity outweighs what I did.”

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