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With the NBA, NHL, NASCAR and other major sports leagues and sporting events suspended or canceled, professional athletes are using their platforms to facilitate financial support for arena workers and those affected by COVID-19 across the nation. Each day, we will feature a philanthropic effort taking place in the sports world.
During the coronavirus outbreak, which has put a stop to all major sports leagues, many professional athletes are going back to their hometowns, as well as supporting them – Russell Westbrook is no different.
Russell Westbrook attended Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, CA, a city in Los Angeles County. And as you can see, he attacked the rim with the same ferocity then that he does now.
Westbrook is a former NBA MVP, 9-time NBA All-Star, 2-time First-Team All-NBA member, 2-time scoring champion and 2-time assists champion, among other accolades.
He grew up in Hawthorne, CA and attended UCLA for two years before entering the draft.
In short, he's about as 'LA' as it gets.
So with the coronavirus pandemic finding its way to his home city, Westbrook is taking action.
Westbrook and his wife, Nina, met at UCLA, where Nina played on the women's team.
COVID-19 is greatly affecting Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States in the country's most populous state.
The mission of the Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles is to help those most impacted by the coronavirus:
As we keep our distance to stay safe, we must otherwise come together as a community to help those of us most in need. The Angeleno Fund will provide direct financial assistance for families experiencing extreme financial hardship, many of whom are immigrants or independent workers who will not qualify for other benefits.
Westbrook is also encouraging support for local LA businesses during a time when thousands have been forced to close.