--- title: Russell Westbrook On Fashion, Fatherhood, and His New Book description: Russell Westbrook might be known for his moves on the basketball court, but his fearless sense of style is winning him plenty of accolades off the court as well. canonical: https://time.com/4931941/russell-westbrook-interview-style-drivers/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-09-08T14:15:40.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:46:25.045Z og:title: Russell Westbrook on Style + Why He Only Wears an Outfit Once og:description: "For me, it’s not about really great outfits. It’s just who I am." og:url: https://time.com/4931941/russell-westbrook-interview-style-drivers/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Russell Westbrook on Style + Why He Only Wears an Outfit Once twitter:description: "For me, it’s not about really great outfits. It’s just who I am." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Russell Westbrook on Being the King of NBA Style  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Sep 8, 2017 2:15 PM UTC  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Sep 8, 2017 2:15 PM UTC In the past year, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook not only nabbed [the highly-coveted league MVP award](http://time.com/4834491/travel-ban-syria-russell-westbrook/) but he also made history when he broke Oscar Robinson’s record for most triple-doubles in a season. But his moves weren’t just on the basketball court; Westbrook has been staying busy racking up accolades off the court as well. He’s long been acknowledged as the “king of NBA style,” thanks to his fearless fashion sense; for example, not many can — or will — wear the avant garde ensembles that Russ sports to the post-game pressers (think loudly patterned shirts, cropped trousers and dramatic accessories) but Russ does and wears it with the same kind of aplomb that’s singled him out as one of the most intense players of his generation. His sense of style earned him the title of “[Most Fashionable Athlete” of 2017 from _Sports Illustrated_ ](https://www.si.com/nba/2017/07/17/fashionable-50-russell-westbrook-fashion-king), which is why it should come as no surprise that Westbrook is commemorating his own sartorial creativity with a project of his own: a Rizzoli coffee table book titled: [_Russell Westbrook: Style Drivers_.](https://www.amazon.com/Russell-Westbrook-Style-Drivers/dp/0847859932/ref=as%5Fat?creativeASIN=0847859932&linkCode=w50&tag=gqgensqua-20&imprToken=6Bf7FnGGul.JiEP8VltQzQ&slotNum=0) The book is a collection of Westbrook’s most memorable looks (and there have been plenty of them) and quotes that speak to self-expression that come from sources as varied as DJ Khaled to designers like Public School’s Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne. TIME sat down with Westbrook to talk personal style, a future fashion line, and saying “why not?” to life. See 12 of his most memorable style statements above. **TIME: When did you start taking an interest in your personal style?** Russell Westbrook: Definitely early on for me. When I was younger, I was into fashion but I wasn’t always able to afford and have the platform to express myself and do different things that I’m able to do now. I feel blessed to be at the stage in my career where certain doors are open to me in fashion, like this book. **What inspired you to create this book,** **_Style Drivers_** **?** To me, style is very, very important because it can cross so many different lanes. In the book, we talk to many different people, from all aspects, whether it’s people in fashion, sports, or different designers. I think it’s important to see how in everything, fashion relates to people across the board. **I think that’s one of the things that interests me about you. You’re a basketball star, but I hear just as much about your outfits as I do your triple doubles. Do you think one informs the other?** Basketball is the axis that allows me to do the things that I do. I have so much love for the game and it gives me to the option to be able to jump into fashion. I really love that they’re both different ways to express yourself; basketball is one way to express yourself, as is what you wear. **Do you have any personal style icons that inspire your fashion?** Yeah, my mom. My mom, from day 1, dressed me, my brother, my dad, kept us up to par on everything that was going on in the fashion world. To this day, she’s always fresher than me every time I see her. She’s who I look up to when it comes to style.  LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 12: NBA player Russell Westbrook attends The 2017 ESPYS at \[f500link\]Microsoft\[/f500link\] Theater on July 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images) Kevin Mazur—Getty Images **You’ve had some pretty bold looks over the years. Do you have any fashion statements that you’ve regretted making?** No, I do not. You gotta own it. My motto is “Why not?” That’s how I think, that’s how I do everything, my lifestyle. That’s how I go about pretty much everything. It is what it is. **Fashion month is coming up. More and more athletes go now, do you think you started this trend?** Well, I’ll let you answer that one. I definitely wasn’t the first athlete to go to a show, but I do believe it’s more popular now. I do it for a different reason though, I’m looking at it like business. I’m interested in the different designers that are showing, trying to find ways to improve my knowledge in fashion, meet different people and different influencers. **Are we going to see any more from you in fashion, do you have any new ventures?** For sure, for sure! I’ll have my own line pretty soon, just trying to work on that. There’s definitely some things coming. **Do you have a stylist?** No — it’s not worth the money! **I also heard that you wear each outfit once and then give it away. Is that true?** I do. I mean, I keep some jeans and stuff, like pants, but my shirts and stuff, I’ll give away to my friends, Goodwill; whoever wants it, honestly, and that’s what happens. **It’s been a big year for you, you won MVP, and you also welcomed a son. Do you think fatherhood has changed you at all?** I think fatherhood would change anybody when you have your first son. It’s been amazing.  PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 24: Russell Westbrook outside Sacai during Paris Fashion Week Menswear Spring/Summer 2018 Day Four on June 24, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Christian Vierig/Getty Images) Christian Vierig—Getty Images **Do you think your pre-game fashion affects your performance in the game?** For me, it’s not about really great outfits. It’s just who I am. I always want to make sure that people understand that. I’m not getting dressed to make a scene or like ‘Oh, look what Westbrook has on today!’ If I like something, I’ll put it on, I go to the game, that’s how it is. The basketball stuff is not affected by that. I’m gonna do that no matter what I wear. For me, it’s not a game. **So last year, when you wore that photographer’s vest before a game and people on the Internet had a lot to say about it, it wasn’t some kind of hidden message? \[During the 2016-2017 NBA season, Westbrook showed up wearing a vest with the words “official photographer” to his first game against his former teammate Kevin Durant, and some NBA fans speculated Westbrook was trolling Durant,** [**who has a noted photography hobby**](https://www.theplayerstribune.com/kevin-durant-super-bowl-50-photography/)**.\]** I mean, like I said before, I make no messages or side notes. If I want to say something to somebody or do anything, they’ll know I’m doing it. I’m not the one to make statements like that. But I wear what I want. That’s it.    OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JUNE 12: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder speaks during a press conference after winning Game One of the 2012 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena on June 12, 2012 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) David Sherman—NBAE/Getty Images  WESTWOOD, CA - JUNE 01: Russell Westbrook arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere "Entourage" at Regency Village Theatre on June 1, 2015 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic) Jon Kopaloff—FilmMagic  NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 06: Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue, talks with NBA's Russell Westbrook at the Rag & Bone Women's Collection show during Spring 2014 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Skylight at Moynihan Station on September 6, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Paul Morigi/WireImage) Paul Morigi—WireImage  LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 16: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder arrives before the game against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 16, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) Andrew D. Bernstein—NBAE/Getty Images  NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 06: NBA Player Russell Westbrook attends the Richard Chai --Love show after party during Spring 2013 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Catch on September 6, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/WireImage) Jerritt Clark—WireImage  PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 24: Russell Westbrook is seen, outside the Dior show, during Paris Fashion Week - Menswear Spring/Summer 2018, on June 24, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/GC Images) Edward Berthelot—GC Images  PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 22: Basket-Ball player Russell Westbrook attends the Louis Vuitton Menswear Spring/Summer 2018 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 22, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/WireImage for Louis Vuitton) Bertrand Rindoff Petroff—WireImage for Louis Vuitton  PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 26: Basket Ball Player, Russell Westbrook attends the Givenchy Menswear Spring/Summer 2016 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 26, 2015 in Paris, France. (Photo by Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images) Bertrand Rindoff Petroff—Getty Images  LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 18: Sports Illustrated Fashionable 50 honoree Russell Westbrook at Sports Illustrated 2017 Fashionable 50 Celebration at Avenue on July 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for SPORTS ILLUSTRATED) Michael Kovac—Getty Images for SPORTS ILLUSTRATED  PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 27: NBA Oklahoma City's Thunder player Russell Westbrook poses backstage after the Givenchy show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Menswear Spring/Summer 2015 on June 27, 2014 in Paris, France. (Photo by Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/French Select/Getty Images) Bertrand Rindoff Petroff—2014 Bertrand Rindoff Petroff ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4931941/russell-westbrook-interview-style-drivers/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4931941/russell-westbrook-interview-style-drivers/"},"headline":"Russell Westbrook on Being the King of NBA Style","datePublished":"2017-09-08T14:15:40.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:46:25.045Z","description":"\"For me, it’s not about really great outfits. 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