Earlier today, the Los Angeles Clippers revealed the Russell Westbrook Community Court at Jesse Owens Park in South LA, reinforcing their commitment to community welfare. Russell Westbrook, a Clippers' guard and potential Hall of Famer, attended the ceremony with representatives of his Why Not? Foundation, the LA Parks Foundation, LA County Parks, and LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell. A tweet from LA County Chief Executive Office confirmed the event's conclusion, indicating the refurbishment of 117 more Clippers Community Courts in LA County. This has increased the total count to nearly 500 courts.
Yesterday, @lacountyparks, @HollyJMitchell, @LACFoundation & @russwest44 celebrated the opening of Russell Westbrook Community Court & 117 new Clippers Community Courts, bringing the total number to nearly 500! Great teamwork by all who worked on bringing them to the community. pic.twitter.com/6Z47AJJ4FM
— LA County CEO (@LACountyCEO) November 17, 2023
The Why Not? Foundation, guided by Westbrook, earlier hosted its 12th annual Thanksgiving Food Distribution event on the same day and distributed 1,000 meals to those in need. Not just as an athlete but also as a leader, Westbrook's generosity demonstrates his commitment to the community. Westbrook, alias "Mr. Triple Double," has earned numerous commendations in his NBA career, including the league MVP award for the 2016-17 season. His constant giving reflects his dedication to the public, the primary motivation of his charity work, mentioned in a Fox LA report.
Westbrook's journey to the NBA kicked off when he began to attract the attention of UCLA coach Ben Howland during his teenage years. Howland discerned Westbrook's athletic prowess and leadership strengths, both of which he carried into his professional career. After two seasons at UCLA, Westbrook was selected fourth overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Seattle Supersonics, who later moved to Oklahoma City.
Since 2018, the Clippers Foundation has been actively involved in the Clippers Community Courts project for the betterment of the community and to provide opportunities. With a devoted commitment of $10 million to the LA Parks Foundation, the initiative aimed to refurbish all 350 indoor and outdoor basketball courts throughout the city. The project reached fruition last summer with the inauguration of the 350th Clippers Community Court at the Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Center in South Los Angeles. The project's milestones continued with the construction of 117 new courts.
