Russell Westbrook is set to start a new chapter with the Denver Nuggets, but he won't be wearing his iconic No. 0 jersey. Instead, Westbrook will don the No. 4 jersey, a number he wore in his high school days and has a deep personal connection to.
"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," Westbrook said, highlighting the sentimental value this number holds for him. His return to this number marks just the second time in his professional career he has worn No. 4.
Change of Teams and Numbers
Westbrook was recently involved in a significant trade, moving from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Utah Jazz. Subsequently, a buyout of his contract allowed him to explore free agency, where he ultimately found a new home with the Nuggets.
The No. 0 jersey that Westbrook previously wore at his former teams was already taken by Christian Braun, a young star for the Nuggets. Westbrook was clear about not disrupting the existing squad dynamics and chose not to request Braun's number.
"Let's please leave our young star alone. CB and I never discussed him passing along the number 0. I did want to inquire about or request the number 0 because I chose to mark this new change with a 'new' number," Westbrook explained. "Obviously, I could have stayed with zero if I wanted to, but I just decided to [pick four]. It's kind of my first time in my career I can go back to my original number."
A Pattern of Number Blocks
Westbrook has had a history of arriving at teams where the No. 4 jersey was already occupied. At UCLA, it was Arron Afflalo who had the jersey. When he joined Oklahoma City, Nick Collison was the holder of the No. 4. At Houston, Danuel House claimed the number, precluding Westbrook from donning it.
Finally, in Denver, the rookie Hunter Tyson had initially held the No. 4 jersey. Tyson, who was a second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and had appeared in 18 games averaging under three minutes per game, showed commendable sportsmanship by agreeing to switch to No. 5, thereby freeing up No. 4 for Westbrook.
For Westbrook, wearing No. 4 is more than just a number; it aligns with his personal journey and professional ethos. "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," he remarked thoughtfully.
New Beginnings
As Westbrook gears up for his first season with the Nuggets, his choice of number signifies a fresh start, yet deeply rooted in his past. Nuggets fans, eager to see what he will bring to the court, can look forward to witnessing one of the league's most dynamic players in a jersey number that clearly means a lot to him.
It's a poignant reminder that even in the high-stakes, high-pressure world of professional basketball, personal connections and sentimental choices still hold a significant place. Russell Westbrook's return to No. 4 is not just a number change; it’s a narrative of returning to one's origins, of new beginnings grounded in a respect for the past.