[ad_1]
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.
NBA legend Russell Westbrook could not dunk a basketball till his senior yr of highschool. Now, with 652 (and counting), he holds the file for probably the most dunks by any level guard for the reason that NBA started monitoring play-by-play information in 1996. To outsiders, this achievement appears inconceivable. For Westbrook, it is a testomony to the easy mantra he lives by: Why not?
“Why not?” is greater than only a catchy slogan for the 2017 MVP. What began as an inside joke between center college buddies has developed right into a supply of inspiration. “It is a confidence builder,” Westbrook explains. “It is a swagger, a perception that you are able to do something you set your thoughts to.”
The Seattle Supersonics (now the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder) drafted Westbrook fourth general in 2008, and the remainder is historical past. However regardless of his NBA accolades and immense wealth, Westbrook hasn’t forgotten his roots. He continues to channel his “Why not?” mantra into enterprise and philanthropy, even making it the identify of his basis.
Rising Above Adversity
Earlier than turning into a nine-time All-Star, Westbrook was simply one other child from South Central Los Angeles, a neighborhood celebrated for its cultural vibrancy however usually overshadowed by points like gang violence and poverty. “Frankly, many individuals aren’t given the alternatives that I had,” he displays. “Not everybody has that path to success.”
Not like some athletes gifted with extraordinary measurement or energy early on, Westbrook entered highschool standing simply 5’8″. Nonetheless, his relentless work ethic earned him a spot within the beginning lineup by junior yr.
Westbrook caught a break when he hit a progress spurt earlier than his senior yr, taking pictures as much as 6’3″ and attracting consideration from school basketball “blue bloods.” He fulfilled his highschool dream by committing to UCLA. Westbrook performed two seasons there, incomes Pac-10 Defensive Participant of the Yr honors as a sophomore, earlier than happening to the NBA, the place he at the moment performs for the Denver Nuggets.
As Westbrook’s basketball profession soared, so did his dedication to giving again to the group. He established the Why Not Foundation in 2012, which just lately unveiled a state-of-the-art campus for the Westbrook Academy in South Los Angeles, serving over 400 college students. The academy focuses on training, workforce improvement, and wellness initiatives to revitalize the underserved group. “The ‘Why not?’ mantra Is not only for me,” Westbrook says. “It is for everybody round me, too.”
Off Court docket Alley Oops
His upbringing gave Westbrook a deep understanding of the assets required to enhance his group. “We attempt to join with everybody, regardless of their age or pursuits,” Westbrook says. He is already put his cash the place his mouth is concerning that purpose, providing all kinds of applications for underserved youth, from cooking in partnership with Little Kitchen to coding along with Code.chella. “I am an individual that has my arms in just about all the pieces,” Westbrook says. “So it is arduous for me to inform others they need to solely deal with training. I believe there are alternative ways to assist completely different folks.”
Westbrook views the partnership with Little Kitchen as a first-rate instance. “It offers internal metropolis children the assets and alternatives to be taught the small particulars of cooking, one thing they’ll use of their on a regular basis life,” Westbrook says. “Rising up within the internal metropolis, there are experiences you may by no means have the possibility to pursue. Offering folks with the assets to attempt new issues and consider they’ll obtain them goes a great distance.”
Recognized all through the league as a stellar teammate and chief, Westbrook’s presence off the court docket is simply as sturdy. The lively NBA participant, entrepreneur, designer, philanthropist, and enterprise proprietor nonetheless makes time to verify in on the scholars every time potential. It is a bit tougher now that he isn’t enjoying in LA, however Westbrook acknowledges the worth of the little issues like merely displaying up. “Cash is nice,” he says, “however time is extra vital. For those who grew up in an underserved group, being current issues extra than simply writing a verify.” He takes a step additional, emphasizing the distinction between being current and simply being there. “It is important for folks to see you and be capable to contact you and discuss to you,” Westbrook says. In that spirit, Westbrook just lately teamed up with the Epworth Basis for this yr’s Denver Feed-A-Household occasion, honoring late Denver philanthropist “Daddy” Bruce Randolph’s legacy with a $20,000 donation, offering 7,500 Thanksgiving meal baskets to these in want.
Whereas he cannot all the time be there in individual, Westbrook’s affect is deeply felt on the college which bears his identify. Together with serving on the board and making certain tutorial assets, he infused the Westbrook Academy campus together with his private fashion, together with a mural of South LA icon and rapper Nipsey Hussle, his late good friend and one in all his favourite artists. “The issues that Nip was doing and what he meant to LA impressed me,” Westbrook says. “He confirmed us all of the significance of giving again and serving to your group develop.” In 2019, after posting a 20-20-20 triple-double, Westbrook dedicated his incredible achievement to Nipsey.
Fashioning a Legacy
Westbrook is not only a philanthropist; he is additionally an achieved entrepreneur. In 2016, he achieved his lifelong dream of founding his personal clothes model, Honor the Gift. Like lots of his philanthropic endeavors, Honor the Present is steeped in inner-city LA tradition. “Each assortment tells a narrative and carries a message rooted within the internal metropolis,” Westbrook says. “That is the muse of my creativity. I would like folks to have a look at Honor the Present and really feel a real connection, like, ‘That model resonates with me.'”
Associated: How LeBron James Became a Billionaire
Westbrook acknowledges that he’s uniquely positioned to help his group with a multi-million-dollar checking account and a platform with followers to match. Nonetheless, he believes everybody can discover a manner to assist the much less lucky. “Crucial factor is to do one thing that feels pure and significant, not compelled,” Westbrook says. “Discover a goal you really care about, one thing you’re keen on, that helps others, and go after it wholeheartedly.” The triple-double king has practically 10,000 assists to his identify in his NBA profession, however none of them imply as a lot to him as those he dishes out of the court docket.
[ad_2]
Source link
