Russell Westbrook has already landed his first major move beyond the NBA, stepping into sports business leadership with a new role at global basketball venture Project B.
According to the information supplied from ESPN, Westbrook is joining the emerging league as a co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, while also taking an equity stake and a seat on the company’s board of directors.
The move comes after Westbrook’s NBA retirement and marks a significant shift from being one of basketball’s most recognizable players to helping shape the business side of the sport.
Westbrook is expected to take an active role in developing Project B’s long-term vision. His responsibilities will include working on commercial partnerships and basketball operations alongside the venture’s other co-founders.
And Project B isn’t exactly taking the traditional route.
The league is being built around a Grand Prix-style 5-on-5 global circuit, with competition planned across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Its biggest differentiator is its player-focused economic model, with both men’s and women’s players set to receive direct equity and decision-making power.
That approach appears to line up closely with Westbrook’s own philosophy about giving athletes a stronger voice in the businesses they help create.
“At every step of my career, what was most valuable to me was making sure everyone had a seat at the table,” Westbrook said in a statement. “With Project B, we’re challenging the norm and bringing a new vision to the intersection of premium sport, culture, and entertainment.”
He added that the venture aims to reimagine the sports experience by making players not only key contributors but also shareholders and decision makers.
Westbrook brings plenty of basketball credibility to the project.
Selected fourth overall during the franchise’s transition to Oklahoma City, he quickly became a central figure alongside Kevin Durant, helping lead the Thunder to four Western Conference Finals appearances and the 2012 NBA Finals.
His status in Oklahoma City grew even larger after Durant’s departure in 2016, when Westbrook took over as the franchise’s undisputed leader.
The following season produced one of the defining individual campaigns of his career. In 2016–17, Westbrook won the NBA MVP award and became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double over an entire season.
He went on to accomplish the feat three more times and eventually surpassed Robertson as the NBA’s all-time career leader in triple-doubles.
Now, instead of chasing triple-doubles on the court, Westbrook is entering a different kind of basketball competition — one involving ownership, strategy and the future economics of the sport.
His next chapter will be played from the boardroom rather than the hardwood.
