Russell Westbrook: College ball just a scholarship path | Trending Now

0:01This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome, that's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required, compatibility and availability varies 18+. Hey everybody, it's Graham and it's Friday, which means today we get to bring you another trending clip. This week, Russell Westbrook.

0:36The clip you're about to hear is trending on our Instagram right now. Hope you enjoy. So coming out of high school, you're recruited by San Diego, Creighton, Miami. A lot of top recruits. You know, when you're a senior by November of that year, you're committing to a school. yet you make the decision to wait how risky do you think that was and why did you decide to do so I thought it was very risky at the time you did that at the time I did but I listened to my to my parents and I listened to my high school coach about making the decision on you know where I wanted to go to school I waited and it was the best decision for me what was discussed though when that decision was being?

1:23At the time, I mean, I wasn't ranked high at all. But during that time, the process, you know, once November passed, a lot of teams are not able to get the players that they want. So then there's, you know, there's little straggler guys like myself that's around, and they're able to get those guys. And I took that chance on saying, okay, you know, I'll wait it out. And once the top schools don't get the guy they want, they will come and find myself. What would have happened and ended up working out great because you, you know, get a scholarship from UCLA, great school, athletically and academically, but what would have happened if you didn't get that offer?

2:05Well, in school, I was a great student in school. I mean, I didn't rely on basketball. My parents always told me, you know, you need to get a good education. So throughout school I was sending different schools, and I was actually thinking about going to Stanford just for academics out of high school. So that was my first option. Basketball was just another way to get to college where my parents wouldn't have to pay for it. And with Stanford, I guess you would have had to walk on to the basketball team because you weren't being recruited. But I thought that was one of the things I found most interesting about you because you had a 3.9 GPA in high school.

2:47You know, you hear about athletes all the time who are skilled athletically where they start to let the grades drop off because sports is their calling. That's how they're going to make the living. Why was it important to you? It was very important. It was important for me to be able to get education, to learn about different things that go on in the world, and also to be able to have that. I think a high school diploma having some common sense is more important than playing basketball. At the time, I didn't think I was going to be where I am today, or playing professionally, or even going to college.

3:27That wasn't my worry. I just was trying to find a way to get to school. What did you think at the time would happen? I mean, in terms of where you'd be. I didn't know. Honestly, I did not know. I just took it one day at a time and took advantage of each day that I could. After committing to UCLA, I went there and tried to make the best of it. Went there and tried to show everyone that I could play at a Division I top school in the country. Did you have the goal at that time of being an NBA player? No, I mean, honestly, that goal didn't come to me until after my first year at UCLA. Wow. So, I mean, I didn't think I was going to make it pro.

4:17My only concern was that growing up in the city, I just didn't want my parents to pay for me to go to school. Before you leave, here's a quick shameless plug. Please follow us at Graham Bensinger on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat for tons of new content each week.