button in SafariNBA Star Russell Westbrook's Charity Poker Event Raises Nearly $1 Million
Russell Westbrook, one of the top scoring guards in NBA history, hosted his annual charity poker event in Las Vegas, and it was a rousing success.
The recently retired NBA star's Why Not? Foundation raised nearly $1 million for its sixth-annual Poker Night in partnership with the World Poker Tour (WPT). That brought the six-year tally to almost $3 million, money that goes to a good cause.
Many of poker's superstars joined Westbrook in Las Vegas for the poker event, including WPT ambassadors Phil Ivey and Vince Van Patten, along with 2025 WSOP Main Event champion Michael Mizrachi. Some fellow NBA athletes such as DeAndre Jordan and Harrison Barnes were also in attendance at Fontainebleau's members-only Poodle Room.
Raising Money in Las Vegas
Westbrook, known to many simply as "Russ," spent 18 seasons in the NBA where he averaged 20.9 points per game while playing for seven teams. He led the league in scoring twice and won the 2016-2017 Most Valuable Player award for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Even during his playing career, Westbrook, who made over $350 million playing basketball, used his platform to give back to the community. One way he has done that is through an annual charity poker event.
Westbrook brings out poker stars and celebrities each year to help raise money for his Why Not? Foundation, which he founded to inspire the lives of young people, teach them to always ask themselves, “Why Not?” and help them to build the resilience to never give up.
The poker tournament cost $10,000 to enter, and it came with a few additional perks, including a one-night hotel stay at Fontainebleau, a luxurious new resort on the Las Vegas Strip.
Westbrook played in the tournament. He moved all in with top pair nearly drawing dead on the flop against reality TV star Princess Love, an avid poker player. Princess Love flopped top two pair and it held up through the turn and river.
Poker pro Michail Grigorev would go on to win the poker tournament. He defeated an experienced final table that included Princess Love and Randall Emmett. Ivey, Mizrachi, and Westbrook all missed out on the final table. But winning a tournament wasn't main focus on this night — it was to raise money for a good cause, and that's exactly what happened.
