On May, 8, 2017, NBA superstar Russell Westbrook revealed that Oklahoma City is home for him. That message, in a Russell Westbrook’s Perfect Journey // TUMI 19 Degree video commercial (see below) shows his love for his home of OKC. The very personal message given tells the world that if the Thunder offer the highest salary a player in the league this summer he is libel to accept it. $219,000,000 for an extension of five years would put him playing on Reno Street for the next six years. His new contract would take effect after the current contract he is on expires in July 2018. The additional five years would put Russell at 35 years of age at the end of said contract, allowing the Thunder to give him his “Kobe” contract for the ending of his career as a Thunder if he can still deliver the goods.
From ESPN:
But with more than a month to go before the Thunder can officially open negotiations with Russell Westbrook on a possible five-year extension, Westbrook seemed to provide some clarity as to where his mind is currently at.
In a new commercial for luggage company Tumi, the theme is pretty obvious: Oklahoma City is Westbrook’s home.
“Home,” Westbrook narrates, as images of Oklahoma City show on the screen. “Home is where my journey takes me.”
The new commercial isn’t exactly subtle about Westbrook’s apparent feelings, but of course, a commercial isn’t a binding contract. He has to put his name on the dotted line if he actually wants to remain with the Thunder. But as one person close to Westbrook emphasized last summer as he pondered his options in the wake of Durant leaving, “Russell operates in the light of day; there won’t be any wondering how he’s actually feeling.”
As Westbrook himself said at his extension news conference: “I’m a straightforward type of guy. I shoot you straight. No need to go back and forth and try to figure out any other options, create this hoopla, rumors and all this stuff. This is where I want to be, and that’s what I made the decision based on.”
