Russell Westbrook’s Why Not? Foundation Welcomes the Next Class of Campers to Its 13th Annual Free Summer Basketball Camp Returning to South LA and to Altadena, Where Families Continue to Rebuild After the Eaton Fire
On July 30 and 31, the free camp Russell has led for more than a decade returns to South LA and Altadena, with Russell
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The Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation, the nonprofit Russell founded in 2012 to create opportunity for young people across Greater Los Angeles, today announced its 13th annual free summer basketball camp, taking place Thursday, July 30, at Jesse Owens Park in South Los Angeles and Friday, July 31, at Loma Alta Park in Altadena. Children ages 7 to 14 will spend time on the court with Russell personally, at no cost to their families. Since the first Why Not? Basketball Camp at Jesse Owens Park in 2013, the program has welcomed more than 1,000 campers, and in 2025 it expanded to Altadena for children and families affected by the Eaton Fire.
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Russell Westbrook with campers at his annual Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation basketball camp
Before Russell Westbrook became an NBA MVP, an Olympic gold medalist, and an entrepreneur, Russell was a Los Angeles kid learning what a public court could give: a place to compete, build confidence, and belong. Russell returned to Jesse Owens Park to lead the first Why Not? Basketball Camp in 2013 and has remained personally involved for more than a decade. In November 2023, the basketball court was officially named the Russell Westbrook Community Court.
The Foundation takes its name from the question Russell has asked since childhood: Why not? Why not dream bigger than the odds? Why not create opportunities where people have expected less? Westbrook Academy, the public charter school the Foundation opened in 2021, puts one social worker in reach of every 115 students, against a county average of one for every 3,500. Thirty-nine reading rooms across Los Angeles and Oklahoma schools put books where there were none. A thousand Thanksgiving meals go out every November at Jesse Owens Park. When the Eaton Fire displaced thousands of families in January 2025, the Foundation put grants directly into their hands while the hillsides were still burning.
The first day of camp takes place Thursday, July 30, at the Russell Westbrook Community Court at Jesse Owens Park in Los Angeles, where Russell grew up playing. It brings him back to the court where he remembers waiting to be picked. This summer’s campers will train with him on the same court that helped shape his discipline and self-confidence.
The second day brings the camp back on Friday, July 31, at Loma Alta Park in Altadena, where the Eaton Fire destroyed thousands of structures and left families rebuilding their homes, schools, routines, and community spaces. The Foundation brought the camp to Altadena for the first time last summer, creating a free afternoon of basketball, mentorship, encouragement, and joy for children affected by the fire. This summer’s return deepens the relationship the Foundation began building with Altadena’s children and families.
Across both days, Russell will be on the baseline running drills, coaching scrimmages, calling out effort, and handing out awards. Campers rotate through skill stations, conditioning, and tournament play with camp coaches and Why Not? Foundation staff, and every camper receives Jordan Brand gear, camp apparel, lunch, and mentorship. The awards recognize hustle, improvement, and teamwork alongside scoring, reinforcing the values at the heart of the camp: effort, growth, teamwork, and the confidence to keep going.
“I still remember being a kid on that court waiting to get picked, and the feeling when somebody called my name,” said Russell Westbrook, founder of Russell Westbrook Enterprises and the Why Not? Foundation. “So every summer, I stand where the older guys once stood, and I spend two days making sure every kid gets picked, feels seen, and knows they can and should always ask, ‘Why not me? Why not now?’”
“After the fires, we knew families needed more than emergency supplies. They needed moments where their children could feel happy, active, and cared for without their parents having to organize one more thing,” said Amelia Williamson, Managing Director, Why Not? Foundation. “That is what this camp does. A child leaves with gear in their hands, a story to tell, and a community around them that says, we still see you, we are still here. Some former campers now return as Westbrook Academy students to help run it, and families we first met on this court come back every November for our Thanksgiving distribution. Everyone involved is helping create the kind of day a family can feel immediately and remember for years.”
Bringing the camp back to Altadena gives the Foundation another opportunity to make children feel celebrated and to keep growing its relationship with Altadena’s families and community.
Event Details
What: 13th Annual Why Not? Basketball Camp, hosted by Russell Westbrook and the Why Not? Foundation, free for every camper
When:
- Thursday, July 30, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT
- Friday, July 31, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT
Where:
- Day One, Thursday, July 30: Russell Westbrook Community Court, Jesse Owens Park, 9651 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles
- Day Two, Friday, July 31: Loma Alta Park, 3330 N. Lincoln Ave., Altadena
Who: Boys and girls ages 7 to 14 from South LA and Altadena, joined by Russell Westbrook, camp coaches, Foundation staff, volunteers, and community partners
What Campers Receive: Basketball fundamentals training, dribbling and shooting work, conditioning, scrimmages, tournament play, Jordan Brand gear, camp apparel, lunch, awards, and mentorship
About the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation
Founded in 2012, the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation creates pathways of empowerment for underserved communities. Its work spans education, workforce development, mental health and wellness, youth sports, and direct community support. Built around Russell’s lifelong “Why not?” mindset, the Foundation works with local leaders and partners to help children and families build confidence, access opportunity, and thrive. For more information, visit whynotfoundation.org.
About Russell Westbrook Enterprises
Russell Westbrook Enterprises is a privately held operating and investment group founded and led by entrepreneur Russell Westbrook. RWE builds and backs companies designed to improve quality of life and expand access to opportunity across education, fashion, media and technology, healthcare, consumer businesses, and community development. For more information, visit westbrookenterprises.com.
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