Russell Westbrook is undoubtedly a walking triple-double regardless of what arena he walks in any given night.
But Tuesday night was just a little different. Westbrook, a native of Long Beach, California, entered the Chesapeake Arena wearing in a blue Crenshaw shirt in honor of the late Nipsey Hussle however his performance on the court ended up being the ultimate tribute paid.
Westbrook dropped 20 points, grabbed 20 rebounds, and dished out 21 assists joining only Wilt Chamberlin as the only players in NBA history to put a 20-20-20 triple-double. After the game, Westbrook made it very clear where the motivation came from.
“That wasn’t for me,” Westbrook told TNT after the game. “That was for my bro. That’s for Nipsey — 20 plus 20 plus 20.”
Westbrook appeared very emotional when talking about Nipsey Hussle, who died Sunday at 33 after being gunned down in front of his store in Los Angeles.
“Somebody I looked up to, somebody that paved the way for a guy like myself growing up in the inner city,” Westbrook told TNT. “To have those conversations with him. I’m just truly saddened by the situation, just continue to pray for his family.”
