UCLA's Pauley Pavillion isn't just an iconic college basketball arena; it's the birthplace of true love. Russell Westbrook was a fiery young point guard with NBA aspirations. Nina Earl, a talented basketball player in her own right, played hard-nosed defense and was one of the fastest players on the women's team.
He was racing down the floor for the dunk. She was sitting in the stands. He flew and shot her a wink.
"You were pretty good out there tonight," she said after the game.
"It's easy to play like that when you have someone to play for," he replied.
She blushed. The rest is history.
Russell Westbrook's Wife Nina Westbrook
At Diamond Ranch High School, Nina Earl was a two-time CIF Player of the Year, three-time league MVP and 2,000-point scorer. She led her women's basketball team to a CIF Division III-AA championship her junior season, then scored 35 points in the CIF-Southern Section title game as a senior.
UCLA finished 29-5 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Earl's final collegiate season.
The couple dated throughout Westbrook's early NBA career with the Oklahoma City Thunder. They officially became engaged in 2014 and tied the knot in August 2015 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Guests included Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Serge Ibaka, Dorrell Wright, and James Harden.
The Westbrook Children
The college sweethearts welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Noah Russell Westbrook in May 2017. In November 2018, the family expanded with the addition of twin daughters, Skye and Jordyn. Their son Noah closely resembles his dad.
Nina operated a boutique dedicated to moms and babies in Oklahoma City called The Little Ark. She is also a marriage and family therapist.
Russell Westbrook's Why Not? Foundation
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Off the basketball court, the couple runs the Why Not? Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting community-based education and family service programs while encouraging youth to believe in themselves.
In March 2020, the foundation partnered with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Carcetti's office on coronavirus relief. A month later, Why Not? teamed up with Comp-U-Dopt and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner's office of education to provide computers to underprivileged children for remote learning during the pandemic.
Russell Westbrook Gets Traded to Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are near a deal to acquire Washington's Russell Westbrook for Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and a 2021 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 29, 2021
The Lakers and Wizards have agreed on the trade for Russell Westbrook, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 30, 2021
The former Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards guard is heading home. The Wizards traded Westbrook to LA for Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and the Lakers' first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft (Isaiah Jackson, who was immediately dealt to the Indiana Pacers).
The nine-time NBA All-Star joins LeBron James and Anthony Davis to form one of the league's best trios. This won't be the first time the All-Stars play together. The three teamed up on the gold-medal winning USA Basketball team at the 2012 London Olympics.
The news went viral all over social media and talking heads from NBC Sports as well as ESPN's Stephen A. Smith gave their thoughts. The First Take host put the pressure on the Lakers to take home the title.
The triple-double machine will certainly give the Lakers a jolt of energy after falling in the first-round of the 2021 NBA playoffs to the Phoenix Suns. Good luck to the San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and the rest of the NBA. The Lakers are going to be fresh.
