#PSBSportsChop: Russell Westbrook Is Mr. NBA Pop Culture – January 27, 2016
By: Brandon Clay @PSBPopCulture
It is well documented that Russell Westbrook is one of the premier basketball players walking the Earth right now. His unique combination of elite athleticism, basketball skill, and off-court style sets him apart from his peers. Westbrook has always been known to play the game at a different pace than those around him. In high school, he went from being lightly recruited to averaging 25 points a night as a senior, which led to him landing a scholarship to UCLA. After coming off the bench as a freshman in Westwood, Westbrook became a starter as a sophomore and shot his way up the NBA Draft Boards, being chosen fourth overall in the 2008 NBA Draft. He’s backed up the selection since putting on the Oklahoma City Thunder uniform with four NBA All-Star game appearances. Westbrook’s ability to fill the stat sheet in multiple categories on a nightly basis speaks both to his polished skill set and willingness to do whatever is needed for his team to win.
***Through January 15th, the dynamic playmaker is averaging 24.4 points, 9.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds per contest and through fan voting was named a starter in the 2016 NBA All-Star Game for the Western Conference.
Westbrook’s in-game performance and post-game style has landed him on magazine covers, lead roles in commercials and deals with major brands worldwide. Because of that, adults and children on basketball courts all across the globe are emulating the 2015 NBA All-Star MVP’s on-floor play. Off of the hardwood, his fashion sense has sparked another wave of sorts. NBA players and fans alike are wearing True Religion, the clothing line that Westbrook is a creative campaign manager for. Couple that with his own line of Westbrook Frames and you can argue that he is undoubtedly one of the league’s marquee stars in the ever-growing world of Pop Culture. Westbrook’s reach even landed him a national advertisement campaign with Mountain Dew Kickstart, this year, with two ad campaigns that have been well placed everywhere the NBA faithful look. NBA Hall-of-Famer Michael Jordan’s brand has even taken note of Westbrook’s play, subsequently signing him as a member of Team Jordan, resulting in him being chosen as the signature athlete for the Jordan XXX debut earlier this month. The shoe will hit retail shelves on February 12th.
THE BREAKDOWN: For as well as Stephen Curry has played during the 2015 calendar year, Westbrook has kept himself in the 2016 MVP voting discussion with his play this season. With the 2016 Olympics around the corner, expect Westbrook to be in the mix for the U.S. Senior National Team. His play is in line with Curry, Chris Paul, and Kyrie Irving. Bringing home the gold medal would only enhance Westbrook’s growing popularity.
As long as he remains amongst the NBA’s elite on-floor performers, Westbrook has the potential to be the league’s go-to guy in the world of fashion and Pop Culture. I’ve watched basketball games in 12 states during the month of December and seen hundreds of players wearing his Jordan compression tights. They’re also rocking True Religion jeans and various colors of his frames as spectators at local games and national club season tournaments too.
Westbrook is leading the trend of athletes who naturally transition into fashion models. He has the look, the build and the stage to influence trends worldwide. He’s got a blend of charisma coupled with a willingness to push the envelope fashion-wise that I haven’t seen in my 14 years covering the sport. Keep an eye on his game (and fashion) as he leads the Thunder into the 2016 postseason and perhaps the franchise’s first NBA Championship.
Brandon Clay serves as the publisher of PSBPopCulture.com. A self-professed entertainment, music and sports junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. Adding in a SLAM (Basketball) Magazine subscription in the late-90’s had him setup up for lifelong success. Clay is also a founding member of the “Luxury Boys Club” designed to stay on top of whatever is next in the world of PopCulture. You can follow him on Twitter @psbpopculture.