Russell Westbrook: Fashion, Criticism, and the Drive That Defined His NBA Career

27:45And you get here and it just kind of just slows you all the way down. The Thunder won three of its first 32 games. What did you learn from going through something like that? It was tough, man, especially coming from UCLA. I mean, we didn't lose. Your loss is unusual. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We didn't lose much, and losing didn't sit well with me. And it was tough. I mean, we were young. We had a lot of young guys on this team that wanted to win, but we just couldn't win. But I know throughout the year I knew that down the line we would be better and know how good we would be because every day we came in and worked and worked and worked and constantly keep working every day.

28:25And, you know, we put ourselves in a position to be better players and better people. Even when the team was, I mean, horrible, I think is a fair way to describe you in three of your first 32 games, the fans never booed. To what extent did that at all surprise you? Oh, not at all. I mean, I knew as soon as I came here that these were great people. and then once the season started it showed there too regardless of if we were winning or losing they cheered us on they were excited to have a team here they cheered us you know throughout the whole game that they didn't leave early the season was still sold out they came to every game regardless of what our record was they came to support us still a great great great you know spirit in the arena every night we came to play and having the teams very clearly progressed a ton since then.

29:20I mean you almost won the finals not, or the NBA championship not too long ago. How satisfying is it for you personally to be so instrumental in the team's success and how far it's come since then? I mean it's an honor. I think you know once I once I got here and the group of guys we had I thought that everybody played a big part in kind of renovating I guess the town and our team, even the fans. The fans played a huge part. Just the whole city and everything did a great, great, great job. We all kind of rise together regardless of what's happening or what's going on. I think everybody played a big part in that.

30:05The Oklahoma City National Memorial, a site commemorating the tragic bombing of the federal building in 1995. The Thunder GM makes sure every player before he ever plays a game for the Thunder visit there. What was that experience like for you? I mean, it was a tough experience for me, honestly. Honestly, I just went back and seen it again this past, this year. Oh, you did? Yes, in training camp. And it's still, you know, it's tougher and tougher to see it every time because, you know it's definitely unfortunate situation and it's one of those things that you you know that you never know that could happen to anybody at any time so it's definitely a tough experience for myself but i think it's important that regardless of you know what guy we have on this team or where they come from they they go to the memorial and kind of see the roots and see how this town kind of stuck together through through thick and thin what's it like for the new guys when they come in and it's tough because a lot of people i mean because i I didn't know nothing about it until I got here.

31:13You were really young. Yeah, I mean, I didn't know nothing about it until I got here. And when you get here, he's like, okay, wow, you wouldn't know that this would happen in this town. So it was just a crazy experience. Gives you a better understanding, I guess, for the fabric of the community. Where you grew up, how would you describe the area you grew up in? I moved around. I moved around from different places. But where did you move around? I mean, just in Los Angeles. I moved around different places in Los Angeles. And growing up, it was I mean, I don't know how it was just it was a norm for just all I knew was a norm.

31:53It was a norm for myself and my brother. I'm just, you know, there was always violence and different things like that. But my parents did a great job of keeping me and my brothers away from that. and sports was a big outlet to kind of go to to keep you off off the streets and keep you out of trouble. Well, looking back on the area you grew up in now that you know you have the means to live in the nicest areas of any city, how tough, you know, rough area was it? Sometimes I mean my brother kind of sit back and talk about different things. growing up. It's crazy because you kind of realize how you became the person I am today on different life lessons, different things I've learned from growing up in my neighborhood.

32:44I think it's always important that you always keep that part of you because it definitely makes you the person who you are today. What sort of violence did you see when you were younger? I didn't see any violence but I you know I know different things that's going on throughout the neighborhood. Your brother was telling me that you know many of the friends you guys had when you were growing up wound up either in gangs or and or in jail. Yeah. How challenging was it to avoid getting into trouble? I mean it's it can be can be challenging because those was my friends is the people that I hang with throughout middle school or in high school those are our friends and people I play sports with so it could be it could be it could be difficult at times but you know always found a way to kind of just separate myself you know at the right time in the right place what would your mom and dad do to keep you and your brother on kind of the straight and narrow just keep us focused on what the task at hand was.

33:53For me, it was my brother was school. Regardless of what was going on outside our house or outside the home, we locked in on homework and locked in on sports. And that's all we knew. You used to spend hours sitting on the sideline of the concrete basketball courts at Ross Snyder Park in South Central watching your dad play. What do you remember from that? Just sitting there and watching my dad's friends argue. Argued? That's about what? Just argue about somebody call, make a call back, call, they argue for 45 minutes, they play for five, argue for 45, play for five. Kind of sit there and just watch them play and kind of just go back and forth.

34:34But it was an experience for me that I always remember. I was going to sit there on the side and watch them play and I was just waiting on the side and let them finish before I can go shoot. What do you think your dad learned from watching Magic Johnson play that he tried to pass along to you? Just being unselfish. Not even on the floor but off the floor. I think Magic Johnson does a lot of different great things in the community of Los Angeles and a lot of great things across the world and I think that's one thing my dad, you know, wanted me to learn from that. Just not the basketball, but just the different things he did in the community when he made it to where he was at.

35:16The perfect lunch combo. That first bite of your favorite sub, followed by ice cold Pepsi. Add a couple of friends, and now that's next level. Suddenly, the laughs get louder, the stories keep flowing, and the food tastes better. Because Pepsi brings out more flavor, more fun, and more of the moment. Food deserves Pepsi. Grab a Pepsi Zero Sugar today. What would you and your dad do when you were growing up in the gym? I mean, we weren't in the gym. We were outside on the outside courts most of the time. You guys spent a lot of time there, right? Yeah, if we could find the gym, but most of the time we wouldn't get a gym.

35:57We'd be outside on the court. If we had a gym, we definitely would get it. But we just work out, talk mess, talk trash, and, you know, have fun. It wasn't, you know, it was serious, and I was able to get better, but it was also a time to, you know, have some fun after I'd done my homework and did all the other stuff I had to do at the house. And bond with your dad. Yeah, and my mom sometimes would come sit on the side. My brother would be there sometimes. I played two-on-one. When I got older in high school, I played one-on-two, I should say. Oh, really? Yeah. And how'd those matches turn out?

36:39It was good. It was a lot of fouling. You know, I used to do a drill where they used to just foul me, just to foul me, just to do it to see if I could take contact. I mean, it helped me. It was fun. It was something that my brother, my brother's big football, so he loves all this contact. So this was his best part of the day. My dad at the time was pushing me around, but I don't think they can do that at all. Have you tried playing since? No, and I don't mess with my brother anymore because I know he's not stronger than I am. So I leave that alone. Who would win? In basketball? Yeah, when it was two on one.

37:15I mean, I would win sometimes. Okay. Sometimes, but sometimes I didn't. How instrumental do you think your father was in your success? I would say a lot. Both of my parents, I wouldn't pick and say my mom because they all played, like I told you, they played different parts. And I think it's important that everybody knows that they play different parts. I mean, they both were very, very instrumental to my success and still now because of just who they are as people. And they constantly stick to their roots regardless of what I may have done or what I'm doing or based on success I'm having. and they always make sure that me and my brother on the right path.

37:58What's the cotton shot? Cotton shot is, you know, about 15, 13 to 15 foot range shot. It's kind of now it's pull up, pull up, pull up jumper, mid range. But we used to me and my dad called it the cotton shot. I mean, it was something that we, that I've practiced for a long time. It's something that I've used and still use now. You were cut from your varsity high school team as a freshman. How did that affect you? I mean, it just made me get back and get better. I mean, just somebody wasn't ready. I went back to the drawing board and got better, played freshman that year, and then into my freshman season, I got called up to varsity.

38:44Bother you at all? Not really, not really. To tell you the truth, I didn't get bothered. I went my dad was mad because I didn't he was yeah because I mean I went to tryouts and I didn't go to try out for varsity I went straight to the freshman team so I started low what and why did you do that I don't know no I just because they said freshman over here I just went with freshman was supposed to be mm-hmm then he I came home and said oh yeah you know he was like why you didn't try out for varsity. I was like, well, I mean, I don't know. I didn't. Then I went to try out. Then I didn't make it. And then, you know, he didn't say nothing.

39:26I didn't say nothing. I left it alone, played freshman, and then ended the season. I was going varsity. It's interesting you say that, though, because we just taped one with Steph Curry not too long ago. And he says one of the biggest single regrets of his basketball career is not trying out for varsity his freshman year because he felt like it hurt his development. Yeah, I mean, I didn't try. I just went, I remember like it was yesterday, went straight in gym, went straight to the freshman. And what a lot of people might not know when they look at big old Russ Westbrook is that you were 5 '8", 140 pounds as a freshman, and I believe you weren't a starter on varsity until your junior year, right?

40:07Why do you think it took so long? I mean, I just wasn't as good, to tell you the truth. I just wasn't good enough to start over to people that were playing in front of me. And my body matured as I got older. I became a lot better after working out and constantly working on my game. And my body and my mind caught up to me. Were you as dedicated then? Still. Yeah, I was still dedicated regardless of, you know, if I was playing or not. I still got extra shots up. Still trying to find a way to work out and get better. Kelsey Bars, somebody, your late friend, who's obviously near and dear to your heart.

40:48During a routine game of high school pickup basketball, your best friend and teammate collapsed and later passed away. When he collapsed, how quickly did you realize how serious it was? I mean, it was quick, very, very, very quickly. I didn't, you know, I just thought he just passed out from being tired or, you know, maybe just dehydrated because we played a lot of games that day. I just, I didn't know. You know, I didn't know until later that evening. But, I mean, I just, it happened so quickly. You know, I just didn't know. How did his passing impact you? I mean, it impacts me to this day. I mean, it's just something that you can never take life for granted.

41:36I mean, definitely probably would have been right here with me playing. I would have been in the NBA a long time before I would have. But it's just something that you can't take life for granted, man. You've got to live every day and enjoy life as you can. What did you say? Your brother said you said something to your high school team after his passing. Do you remember what you said? I mean, I said a few different things at different times. But, I mean, our main point was, you know, we got to do this for Kelsey. I mean, he wouldn't want us to sit here and, you know, grieve and kind of be sad. He would want us to go out and play hard and win.

42:25And, you know, that was one of the things that I said. and it kind of stuck, especially a lot of different players from that team that I still talk to today, kind of stuck with them. How close were you two? Very close. He lived right across the street from me. You know, we sometimes walk home, walk to school. I'd take his, go to his grandma's house across the street, talk to his brothers and sisters. You know, we were close. and we, you know, we came to my brother's parties. We hung out, went to school. You know, we hung out every day, basically. What made you decide to start taking out his grandma's trash after he passed?

43:09It was something that Kelsey did, and I used to see him doing it, you know, for his grandma, and I just felt like it was my, you know, that's just what I had to do. and it was something that I did every week, regardless of if it was no trash in there at all, if it was trash in there. I thought it was my job and my deed to take the trash out every week. I've been told that after Kelsey passed, it caused you to almost push yourself harder. Yeah. Why? Just because I know he would have been, And the player he was and the person he was, he would have been one of the best players at the time in high school and moving to college and definitely going pro.

43:57So I just feel like I just got to come out every day, every game, every time I could to be able to work as hard as I can to put myself in a position to be the best player I can be. And you wear his initials on you for every game that you play. And you've said before you feel like in a way you're playing for Kelsey. Always. I mean, that's why I always have the band on. I have it on my shoes. He's just always a part of me regardless of where I'm at or what I'm doing. You know, he knows and I know that this is for him. How do you think he would have turned out as a player? He would have been real good.

44:43I mean, 6 '7", 6 '8", this is a freshman. And he was playing starting varsity at the time. He was real good. And next year, he was even better. And I was like, man, he's going to be something great. But, you know. You've obviously had a ton of amazing moments. One of your signature games coming in the 2012 playoffs versus the Lakers where you just go on a tear. what sticks out about that game? I mean, I think that year for us was a good year for our organization and for our team, and it was a good year for us to kind of expand and kind of show the world what Oklahoma City is about because I think at the time still people didn't really understand how good we could be, and I think that year we showed everyone on how good we can be.

45:41And during that series at the Lakers, obviously, it's a great, great team. And I was on the road winning championships. And that series, I thought it was my job as a point guard to find a way to get us wins. And throughout the game, I just take what the defense gives me. We were taping one a while back with Kobe Bryant. And Kobe was saying, you know, when he gets in that zone, You know, when he goes on a tear, it just feels different. Similar for you? Definitely. I mean, I think anybody, any player would say the same. I think once you get into a zone of your own, I don't think there's too much anybody or any player can do to stop it.

46:28What does it feel like? It just feels like regardless of what else you do, everything's going to go your way, ball going to go in. And, you know, whatever it is that may be going on throughout the game, shots that you may not have made before may go in. It's just how it goes sometimes. How rare is it that you're in that sort of zone? I mean, it's rare. I mean, it's tough to get in those zones, but the great ones were in the zone a lot of the times. You know, like Kobe, Michael Jordan, and Magic, and those guys were in those zones a lot of times. Team USA, how do you balance the need to get some rest over the summer, the seasons are long, with the desire to play for the national team?

47:11I mean, I think it was a no-brainer for me. Regardless of how long of a season I just played, I think you can't pass up an opportunity to play for your country. In my opinion, I think when you're able to have the three letters USA across your chest, it means a lot more than you. I mean, you're playing for a lot of other people across the world. And I think it's just an honor to be able to have those three letters across your chest. You say that, which makes complete sense, but you've been on the team for a while now. There have to be points where you're just like, man, I just want to lay on the couch and watch some TV.

47:51I like it, man. I love it. I think it's just an honor, man. I think you just certain things you can't let pass you up. And I think that's one of those things where if I'm able to play, then I will give it a go and try to represent my country. And I think a lot of other guys are getting into it as well because it's a fun experience, man. You get an opportunity to bond with different guys and see different parts of the world. And also at the same time, you don't have a city, you don't have a town. You've got the whole world behind you rooting for you for the USA. So it's a great feeling. What do you most recall from winning gold at the 2010 World Championships and then in the 2012 Summer Olympics?

48:30I think the one thing I recall from both of them is the ceremony at the end of the game. I think that's the most important part and most emotional part of the whole thing. you know, at the end of the game and once the winner is chosen, you know, the team with the gold medal kind of stands up on the stage and kind of hold hands and your national anthem is played. And I think that's like the moment where you kind of sit there and you realize and you're looking around and you hear the national anthem and the USA flags are flowing. It's kind of a moments you don't forget. What's it just generally like spending so much time on the same team with so many of the league's top players?

49:16I mean it's different you get a chance to kind of see and interact with guys off the floor because you may not know how guys are in the locker room because you're not on your team obviously and when you get it to the USA you know you get opportunity to kind of hang out with different guys go to dinner go to lunch You know, just kind of hang out, see how they work, see their work ethic, see how hard they work. You get the opportunity to learn different things from different players. Anybody that surprised you the most? Surprised? No, I mean, but I say I learned a lot from communicating with Kobe Bryant throughout 2012.

49:55And just learning different things about the game and, you know, just picking his brain a little bit. Like what? What did you learn? Different moves, different things that can help me become a better player and just talk to him about back in the days when I won the championships and different things like that, just picking his brain. And Kobe's obviously somebody that's spoken highly of you on a number of occasions, including just recently being quoted, kind of speaking your praise. Was there a takeaway that you had from those conversations with him that's really stuck with you? Just the respect factor, man.

50:35I just respect everything that he's kind of done. And when it comes to basketball, he's put himself in a position where there's probably no one that can be like him moving forward. Kevin Durant, the comments KD made about you when accepting the MVP award, what did that mean to you? It meant a lot, man. A lot of times I know Kevin, he's a quiet guy. He don't say much, but to hear him say things like that about me and how he feels about me is definitely an honor and definitely just brings us a lot closer. Surprised? Not surprised because he always, always and always will have my back regardless of what may happen or what goes on across the media or anything like that.

51:29He always the first one to have my back or call me or talk to him about anything. What do you think of him? Oh man, he's probably one of the nicest and the most unselfish guys I've met. he's always a guy willing to give up anything he has to help myself or help his teammates out and he's obviously one of the best players in the world but I think as a person you know he's that what really makes him more likable and makes me you know like him even more. What do you think makes KD so talented? A lot of different things. I mean, obviously he's 6 '10", and he's able to do whatever he wants at any time.

52:16But I think his work ethic, I think he works probably harder than anyone I've seen other than probably myself, but he even works harder than me, comes in every day. Really? You'd say you think he works harder than you? I mean, he works. There's times where I don't work out. Sometimes I take over the past few years obviously because of my knee, but I've been taking some rest. But he works out before practice, after practice. Sometimes he comes in later, gets shots up. And I know that he put work in and it shows, and I just see it every day, every single day. He does the same thing. He doesn't stop regardless of if he won MVP, regardless if he has 60 the night before or 50.

53:01regardless of whatever it is he comes in and consists in his work ethic. Why do you think you each complement each other so well? I think because we're two different people. It kind of brings us together. Kevin's a real quiet, kind of silent killer. And I'm the one that's out there and screaming. Wait, you aren't the quiet one? No, Kevin's the quiet, quiet, quiet one. I'm not the quiet one when it comes to basketball. I'm the one that kind of is out there screaming and real emotional, kind of wear my emotions on my sleeve and everybody kind of, you know, see it. And when something's happening, they know.

53:36And I think that's for the best of both of us because it kind of helps us bring this together. So KD has laughingly said, you scream at him all the time. You guys disagree a lot. But, you know, he implied, like, you know, that's really positively impacted your relationship and made for a stronger partnership. For sure. Why do you think that is? Because we're, I mean, I say we're like brothers. We've been with each other for a long time now, and we're at an age now where he can tell me something, and I can take it on the chin and move on, and I can scream at him, and he can scream back and go back and forth.

54:14But we always, at the end of the day, come back to an agreement and find a solution. I think that just brings us closer and closer as teammates and on and off the floor. How long has it taken to get to that point? I mean, I would say like any other relationship, any other relationship, it takes time. I think after the first year or year and a half or two, we kind of figured out a lot of different things about each other. I mean, he didn't know where I was from. I didn't know much about his background. And he didn't know much about mine. And as we sat down and conversated about where I grew up and how I grew up and I knew more about him, it makes it easier for us to communicate and easier to relate to each other.

54:57How about the most heated argument that you guys have gotten into that's ultimately really helped the relationship? I don't know, man. We have never gotten anything like that, like really, really heated. But other than on the corridor, like that, I don't think there's nothing I can think of right now. Your brother says you and KD get most competitive in workouts. Yeah. How do you challenge each other? Just on, you know, may play one-on-one or may, you know, just doing drills on making moves. We just challenge each other to be better. I think if I challenge him to be better, it's going to help him out.

55:37He challenged me to be better. It's going to help me out, and we both know that, so we definitely do it. You mentioned the media, which I know is just your favorite topic. Yeah, for sure. How do you think all the rumor and innuendo came about in the first place about your guys' relationship and, like, the inability to coexist? I have no idea. I have no idea. I mean, I don't know. I really don't know. I don't have an answer for you for that one. I don't know where it came from. But what I do know is that it just brings us closer. Why do you think you've gotten criticized so much in the press over the years?

56:13I'm not sure.

56:18But I've realized over the course of the year, regardless if it's in sports or fashion or whatever it is, If people are talking about you, then you're doing something right. Yeah. That's how I feel. How do you view the media? How do I view them? I don't view them anyway because they have no control over what I do. The perfect lunch combo. That first bite of your favorite sub followed by ice cold Pepsi. Add a couple of friends and now that's next level. Suddenly, the laughs get louder, the stories keep flowing, and the food tastes better. Because Pepsi brings out more flavor, more fun, and more of the moment.

57:00Food deserves Pepsi. Grab a Pepsi Zero Sugar today. This episode is brought to you by ChatGPT. Hey, it's Bill Simmons from the Bill Simmons Podcast. Have you guys heard about ChatGPT work? It's the new way to use ChatGPT for bigger multi-step projects. And when you need more than just answers, give ChatGPT work access to your apps and files, and it can create real work documents like spreadsheets, slides, and structured reports. Get started at ChatGPT.com by selecting work mode available on Plus and Pro plans. I tried, you know, in researching for you, you get a stack of profile stories and articles, two inches thick.

57:44And the most biting quote I read that was written about you in a national column was, Durant, a scorer so unguardable, he can be stopped by only one man, Westbrook. Instead of consistently chauffeuring Durant to his most unstoppable spots, Westbrook too often chooses to NASCAR his way to where he can be the biggest star. Your reaction to criticism like that? No reaction. I don't, because it doesn't make any sense. I don't, I mean there's a lot of things I don't see that I don't pay attention to and a lot of it's really nonsense because if you kinda watch our games and kinda see how everything goes then you will kinda know more than anybody can write about it.

58:34But you know anything that goes on between myself and Kevin and our team We communicated with each other and that's all that matters regardless of all the outside noise and whatever anybody else has to say doesn't really change anything that goes on inside our building. You feel you get a fair shake? I don't know. I don't care to tell you the truth. My job is not to please anybody that don't need to be pleased that I have no relations with. You know, my job is to come in every day and try to find a way to help my teammates and try to find a way to help us win. Why are you so private? I just like my space.

59:18I think in today's, you know, world, you got a lot of social media, a lot of different things that, you know, you can't. You got camera phone. You got everything, Instagram, Twitter, whatever. and sometimes I just like my own space because there's a lot of different things that can be misconstrued. You can see different pictures and you can think something other, one thing, and you can see one thing and think another. So I think it's best if I just stated myself when it comes to certain things. Speaking of social media, I love this. You actually helped facilitate a marriage proposal on Twitter.

59:53Tell about how that went down. It was something that I was able to see going through Twitter and different things like that. And to be able to do that and set up a proposal. And so what happens? Like you're going through Twitter. Yeah, just I was meeting. I don't know if she wants me to say her name on camera. Oh, okay. But I was meeting with Slay that works in the office. And we were looking and seeing different things. And we thought it would be a great idea to kind of help him propose and kind of figure out a way to, you know, set that up over Twitter. And I thought it was a great idea. So it was good.

1:00:31It was a good thing to say yes. So you posted? Yeah, posted it, and she saw it and said yes. And, you know, it was a great, great come out. So it was fun. So what's the deal with you and hair? Hair? I heard hair really bothers you. Yeah, yeah, I don't like it. It just makes me itch and makes me itch and stuff. I just don't like it at all. How often do you bowl? I used to bowl every other day. I used to bowl all the time. It's just a hobby that I picked up when I came to Oklahoma City. Not as much anymore, though? I mean, ever since I had my knee surgery and my hand, I haven't been able to do it as much.

1:01:15But I'm going to get back into it probably within the next two weeks. How good are you? I'm good. Is it true that you bowl a lot by yourself? All the time. Why? To practice. I wanted to practice. I wanted to be good. I wanted to be good and find a way to perfect this hobby that I was doing. And I bowled a lot by myself. I'd be in full-out sweats. Sweating. Full-out sweats. Sweating. Sweating all of it. It was fun. Would you prefer bowling by yourself than with people? Yeah, I'd concentrate. Yeah, bowling at night and bowling with friends is fun. But, you know, I can't concentrate as much as I want to for a lesson by myself.

1:01:56I can't imagine you don't cause a scene when Russell Westbrook shows up at some Oklahoma City bowling alley. No, you know, I show up at a good time. I could show up on a Tuesday at 2 o 'clock and nobody there. It's empty. You know, I know when to show up. I'm not going to show up at Saturday at 10 o 'clock at night when, you know, the high school and the college kids, everybody's there. So you're apparently a real car guy. And I've been told to ask you about the Green Wizard and why you were always late for your pre-draft workouts.

1:02:29Well, the Green Wizard was my first car. The two-door Grand at the Grand Prix. It was a car that I had a few problems with. I used to run hot and had a few flat tires. and I was late to a few workouts a few times, so it was definitely one of those cars I can never forget. You retired the car since? The car is going, yes, the car is going, but I always remember it. Did it cause any problems for you? Yeah, I mean, it caused a few. Ran hot a few times, cut off, but, hey, you know, I wasn't complaining. I found a way to get it done. Tires, you know, I did whatever to keep it rolling. And did you cop to it when you showed up at practice late?

1:03:13You blamed it on the car? I had to go get new tires and you know that's just, I had no choice. I was trying to get there on flat tires. So tell about your Why Not Foundation. Why Not, man. Why Not is, I think the word Why Not is kind of something that, obviously me and a few friends kind of came up with it growing up and it's kind of something that I ran with and kind of thought it would be a great, great model for myself and for kids and for anybody and for that sake. So I think why not and the why not foundation is a foundation for kids and for anybody in the city or wherever, man, to kind of think and believe in anything they want to do and go forward and just say why not.

1:04:09I think by saying why not you kind of just says why not and go and take care of what you need to take care of to get what you need to get in life. And explain how the Subway Reading Room ties into that and then the Boys and Girls Club. It ties in a lot. I mean, thanks to Subway for helping me out with all the reading room and the reading challenges. But the Why Not Foundation kind of teamed up with Scholastic and Subway as well on a reading challenge. So, you know, reading challenge is a challenge that, you know, kids kind of got to come to school and teachers get to pick kids and to be able to take their times down and read and encourage kids to read and give them a prize at the end.

1:04:57And I think with the challenge now, I think we may be having like 1 ,900 or so teachers in schools and kids as well on end right now. So I think it's a great challenge and it's something that's important for myself and for kids to be able to look forward to reading and look forward to prizes after they read. And you're the perfect person to be leading it, too, because it's not as if you're some guy who slacked off in school. Not at all. You had the opportunity to go to Stanford and graduated high school with a 3-9. And I think reading is important. I think as kids, I think you have to be able to, I think, one, provide books for the kids and provide a place where they can get them.

1:05:51Encourage them to read is important. and I think once you provide them and now you reward them. Once they read and they get a chance to see where they can get the books from, they read and now they get a reward. I may come have a party. I may show up. You never know what may happen, and I think it's important that they feel encouraged and I think reading is fun. And I know we're going to go have some fun with the kids at the Boys and Girls Club here in a minute. Why is the Boys and Girls Club important to you? It's very important. I think I grew up in the Boards and Girls Club from when I was 8, 9 years old all the way to 17, and it's a great, great organization, I think, for kids after school, and it's just something that I believe strongly in because it's something that I was a part of, so I can relate easily to the kids that's there, and I can relate to anybody that's been a part of the Boards and Girls Club.

1:06:49Thank you very much. Thank you. No problem. Thank you, sir. That's it for my chat with Russell Westbrook. To watch all of our content with him, plus other NBA icons such as Steph Curry, Jason Tatum, and Dirk Nowitzki, go to youtube.com slash Graham Bensinger. Also, if you get a chance, give us a rating and review. Thanks again for listening. This episode is brought to you by ChatGPT. Hey, it's Bill Simmons from the Bill Simmons Podcast. Have you guys heard about ChatGPT work? It's the new way to use ChatGPT for bigger multi-step projects. And when you need more than just answers, give ChatGPT work access to your apps and files, and it can create real work documents like spreadsheets, slides, and structured reports.

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