DENVER NUGGETS SIGN RUSSELL WESTBROOK
Denver, Jul. 26, 2024 – The Denver Nuggets have signed former NBA MVP and nine-time all-star Russell Westbrook to a multiyear contract, General Manager Calvin Booth announced today.
Westbrook, 6-4, 200, spent the previous three seasons playing in his hometown of Los Angeles for both the Lakers and the Clippers. Westbrook appeared in 68 games (11 starts) for the Clippers last season, averaging 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.10 steals in 22.5 minutes per game. He also played one season each with the Wizards and the Rockets after spending the first 12 years of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The 15-year NBA veteran joins Denver with a stellar resume that includes a league MVP, 10 All-NBA Honors (3x 1st Team, 5x 2nd Team, 2x 3rd Team), nine All-Star appearances, two All-Star Game MVPs and being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021-22. Westbrook has also led the league in scoring twice and dished out the most assists three times en route to becoming the NBA’s all-time triple-double leader with 199. Westbrook’s new teammate Nikola Jokić currently ranks fourth all-time with 130 and their 329 combined triple-doubles is more than any of the other 29 teams have in their franchise histories (Lakers have most with 316).
Westbrook has appeared in 1,162 career games (1039 starts), averaging 21.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.60 steals in 33.6 minutes per game. He has also appeared in 122 career playoff games (116 starts), averaging 23.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.70 steals per game while advancing to the Western Conference Finals four times and reaching the NBA Finals once. His historic 2016-17 MVP Campaign saw him average a league-best 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists, becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1962 to average a triple-double for an entire season.
The 35-year-old Long Beach, California native was drafted with the 4th overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder after spending two seasons at UCLA where he was named PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Year, Pac-12 All-Defensive Team, All-PAC 12 Third Team and Pac-12 All-Tournament Team as a Sophomore in 2008.
