Russell Westbrook has a new team and a new number. On Wednesday, it was reported that the Houston Rockets traded Westbrook to the Washington Wizards for John Wall and a 2023 protected first-round pick.
On Thursday, the Wizards tweeted out that there was another change coming for Westbrook, a new number.
In Washington he will wear the No. 4, opposed to No. 0 which he wore with the Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The change comes because it was Westbrook's high school number, so if he were to choose something else to wear, No. 4 was the easy choice.
Here's the first look at him in No. 4.
Russell Westbrook will wear4️⃣! pic.twitter.com/KVGbSfiOg6
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) December 4, 2020
According to ESPN's Royce Young, this has always been Westbrook's preferred number, as he wore it in high school, but it was taken by other players for the majority of his career.
When Westbrook got to UCLA Aaron Afflalo was wearing No. 4. Nick Collison had already claimed No. 4 when Westbrook got to Oklahoma City and in Houston, Danuel House was already wearing the number when Westbrook arrived.
It is also notable that he will not be the number made famous in Washington by Gilbert Arenas, who has previously stated that No. 0 is "effectively retired" with the Wizards. No one has worn No. 0 in Washington since Arenas in 2010.
