September 16, 2026
Russell Westbrook Bets Big On Black Empowerment At 6th Annual Las Vegas Poker Night
The NBA legend is shifting from a Hall of Fame career to building an enterprise dedicated to community impact and financial empowerment.
Russell Westbrook, a future Basketball Hall of Famer, is moving from his NBA career to expand his business and philanthropy efforts.
On Friday, Sept. 18, Westbrook and his wife, Nina, will host the 6th Annual Why Not? Foundation Poker Night at Fontainebleau Las Vegas in the Poodle Room. In partnership with the World Poker Tour Foundation, this fundraiser gathers corporate executives, poker professionals, and celebrity athletes for an evening dedicated to philanthropy.
To date, the annual event has raised over $2 million to support the Why Not? Foundation’s mission. Founded in 2012, the organization provides financial empowerment, mental wellness resources, and workforce development for youth in South Los Angeles and nearby underserved communities, according to its website.
“Our upcoming 6th Annual Poker Night is a signature cornerstone of our ongoing work to unlock game-changing futures for underserved youth. With that purpose in mind, my retirement is beyond a farewell; it’s a new door opened for impact at the highest level,” Westbrook said in the statement. “Basketball gave me the platform, but purpose has helped me reimagine what’s possible. This next chapter gives me the opportunity to invest further in the next generation. Since 2012, it’s been an honor to build new pathways to success for young people in my hometown of South Los Angeles with the ‘Why Not?’ Foundation.”
Westbrook’s move to full-time entrepreneurship and advocacy follows an 18-season NBA career with considerable successes. BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported that the 2016-17 Most Valuable Player retired on Aug. 12 as the league’s all-time triple-double leader with 209 and the highest-scoring point guard in NBA history, surpassing Oscar Robertson. He earned $349 million in career earnings, establishing a sound foundation for Russell Westbrook Enterprises.
Westbrook has prioritized direct equity and Black ownership over traditional endorsement deals. His business interests include the Los Angeles-based lifestyle brand Honor the Gift, media division RW Digital, and real estate projects providing affordable housing in South Los Angeles. He also led a $63 million investment in Varo Bank to advance financial empowerment in marginalized neighborhoods, as BLACK ENTERPRISE reported. His portfolio includes stakes in Leeds United, an English football club, and the AI platform Eazewell.
Through his foundation, Westbrook launched Westbrook Academy to expand educational access and partnered with grassroots organizations to offer trauma-informed mental healthcare. By combining business expertise with community organizing, he is creating a model for economic self-determination that reaches beyond the NBA.
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