Russell Westbrook is ditching his custom No. 0 jersey to wear No. 4 with the Washington Wizards. The Wizards made the official announcement Thursday.
Westbrook had worn the number 0 from his college days at UCLA and throughout his 12-year NBA career with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets.
The Rockets traded Westbrook to the Wizards on Wednesday in exchange for John Wall and a 2023 protected draft pick.
Despite not officially being retired, the No. 0 has been unavailable to players in honor of Gilbert Arenas. “Agent Zero” spent eight seasons in a Wizards uniform and considered the franchise player prior to Wall’s arrival in 2010.
Thus, Westbrook was forced to choose a new number. The No. 4 is familiar number for Westbrook. The 2017 NBA MVP wore the number in high school while playing at Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, California.
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 choice to opt for a new uniform should be endearing to Wizards fans. Arenas remains a beloved fan favorite, despite his infamous locker room gun incident in 2009. Now, the 32-year old Westbrook will embark a new era of his stellar pro career with a new number on his threads.
Westbrook will be the 19th player to wear the No. 4 for the Wizards franchise. Moses Malone, Chris Webber, Antawn Jamison and Marcin Gortat were some of the notable players to wear the number in Washington.
Westbrook is hoping to make a similar mark on the team’s history. He’ll be alongside cornerstone player Bradley Beal, looking to return the Wizards to relevancy and the playoffs.
