Russell Westbrook has decided to change his jersey number for the upcoming season with the Denver Nuggets. After signing with the Nuggets in free agency following a trade from the Clippers to the Jazz and then being bought out of his contract, Westbrook faced the challenge of choosing a new number since his preferred No. 0 was already taken by Christian Braun in Denver.
Ultimately, Westbrook has opted to wear the No. 4 jersey for the Nuggets. Hunter Tyson graciously agreed to switch to No. 5 to accommodate Westbrook’s request. This will mark the second time in Westbrook’s career that he will sport the No. 4 jersey, having previously worn it during his stint with the Washington Wizards.
Westbrook took to Instagram to address the number change and clarify misconceptions about Braun denying his request to wear No. 0. In his post, Westbrook stated, “Let’s please leave our young star alone. CB and I never discussed him passing along the number 0. I chose to mark this new change with a ‘new’ number.”
Back in 2020, when Westbrook joined the Wizards, he explained his decision to switch to the No. 4 jersey. Contrary to speculation, it was not to pay homage to Gilbert Arenas, who made the No. 0 jersey popular in Washington D.C. Westbrook shared, “Four is my favorite number. It reminds me of my roots and where I started from.”
Braun, who played a significant role in Denver’s championship victory in 2023, previously wore the No. 0 jersey in high school.
Fortunately, Westbrook was able to persuade Tyson, a second-round draft pick in 2023, to switch to a different number. Tyson had minimal playing time with the Nuggets, appearing in only 18 games and averaging less than three minutes per game.
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