Russell Westbrook will look really different this season.
The former league MVP has changed teams — and changed looks for the upcoming season. A few weeks before the 2020-21 NBA season's scheduled tip-off, the Wizards and Rockets engaged in a blockbuster trade sending Westbrook to D.C. — Westbrook's third team in the past three seasons.
In addition to the change of scenery, Westbrook will be changing his jersey number.
MORE: Grading the Russell Westbrook trade from Rockets to Wizards
Westbrook made No. 0 famous with his brand. In a 2017 piece for Air Jordan, Westbrook explained why he chose to wear 0.
"I decided to wear the number zero when I entered college because it represented a new beginning, a fresh start," Westbrook said. "The same when I entered the NBA."
Now that Westbrook has another fresh start, he decided to use a throwback.
Why is Russell Westbrook wearing No. 4 for the Wizards?
Russell Westbrook is wearing No. 4 for the Wizards because that's the jersey number he wore in high school. It's also a number he enjoys, as it represents other aspects of his life.
"My favorite number has always been four, because that’s the number of people in my family — my little brother, my mom and my dad," Westbrook told Air Jordan in 2017. "My family is always with me for every milestone. Even if they aren’t there physically, I talk to them before and after each game and I know they are watching and with me in spirit. There is not one person in my family that pushed me more than another, they all push me and they all have had an impact on me.”
Russell Westbrook (@russwest44) is throwing it back to his Leuzinger High School by picking the number 4. pic.twitter.com/OaN8s9xoS4
— Xavier Sanchez (@Xavier_Sanchez4) December 4, 2020
The NBA star has always enjoyed the No. 4, and wanted to initially wear it when he entered college and the NBA. But in both cases, the number was already taken.
Aaron Afflalo was wearing No. 4 when Westbrook arrived at UCLA. When Westbrook joined the Thunder, Nick Collison owned that number. Even on the Rockets, that jersey number was owned by Danuel House.
And if you needed even more confirmation on that, here's Westbrook saying exactly that during the Wizards' media day.
"Obviously I could have stayed with zero if I wanted to, but I just decided to [pick four]," he said. "It's kind of my first time in my career I can go back to my original number. When I got to Oklahoma, even at UCLA, I got there, Arron Afflalo had it at UCLA. Then I got to Oklahoma City, Nick Collison had it. Then when I got to Houston, Danuel House had it. So I didn't have an opportunity to kind of go back to my original number. Four is my favorite number. It reminds me and it gives me a sense of my roots and where I started from and where I get it from."
Is No. 0 retired on the Wizards?
When Westbrook changed jersey numbers, many assumed it was because Gilbert Arenas already made No. 0 famous in Washington. While the jersey number isn't officially retired, it seems like it'll take a player really special to actually wear it for the Wizards.
When I spoke to Gilbert Arenas last year, he told me that his number 0 was effectively retired in D.C. I'm not sure they'll ever officially hang it up, but yeah: if Westbrook isn't going to wear it, don't expect anyone to take it soon.
— Ben Mehić (@BenMehicNBA) December 4, 2020
Westbrook may have been given the green light to wear No. 0 if he wanted to, but he really wanted to wear No. 4. It's the number he's been wanting to wear since joining the NBA, but hasn't really had the opportunity to.
