On March 14 Beijing time, American media Sporting News published a long article revealing Kings star Westbrook, titled "The Most Intense Person in NBA Interviews, Yet the Warmest Teammate". The article mentions that in the NBA bubble, Westbrook left a $8000 tip for a room service attendant; because Capela liked it, Westbrook directly took off his expensive bracelet and gave it to him; every year he gives Jordan sneakers and athletic suits to every team staff member. Below is the relevant content from the article—

After a March game, Westbrook sat on the press podium, appearing indifferent on the surface, his attention seemingly still on his phone charger rather than the media before him. The Kings had lost to a weaker Pelicans team, their record falling to 14 wins and 50 losses, bottom of the league. Just as he prepared to answer questions, that layer of cold disguise instantly vanished.

In fact, Westbrook was already prepared for a confrontation. Over the next 5 minutes, he continuously questioned local media, criticizing them for providing incorrect context, judging the team without attending practices or film sessions.

“You don’t know me at all,” Westbrook told Kings reporters, “yet you always make comments as if you understand me and my intentions. I see it all.”

For many media members, this was the familiar Westbrook. Back in 2017, veteran NBA reporter and Professional Basketball Writers Association president Howard Beck stated that Westbrook was undoubtedly the most difficult player to interview.

“He shows disdain for the media, at least for the interview process, his answers are usually brief, arrogant, often defensive, sometimes even hostile,” Beck said at the time.

In a phone interview five weeks before Westbrook’s outburst with the Kings, Beck still held this view.

“In my years covering the league, he belongs to the category least friendly to the media,” Beck said, “I don’t think it’s exaggeration, it’s just an objective assessment.”

Westbrook says the media rarely truly understands him, which is correct. But this is the result of his own choice.The side he shows to the public and media is usually irritable, argumentative, and reticent. But privately, he is completely another person—kind to the point of obsession.

Westbrook’s War with the Media

Many reporters who have long interacted with Westbrook have experienced difficult dealings with this future Hall of Fame player. Being ignored by him is almost a necessary “rite”. The author of this article once waited 7 hours in an NBA arena, experiencing this firsthand. And Westbrook, as usual, did not respond to interview requests.

The Athletic reporter Fred Katz, who covered Westbrook during his Thunder and Wizards periods, admits he initially hated the assignment because Westbrook always made his job harder. But as he gained more experience, his view completely changed.

Katz and Westbrook are still not friends. “I never felt he liked me much,” Katz admits. But this reporter discovered that beneath Westbrook’s rough exterior lies much that is unknown.

“I began to realize, from a character perspective, he is one of the most interesting people in NBA history. He is unique. The way people describe him privately and his public persona are completely different,” Katz said.

Now, Katz lists Westbrook as one of his favorite players to cover. He is not the only one who thinks this. Although Westbrook faced criticism from many media after his Kings outburst, many also immediately defended him.

NBA reporter Kelly Griffin tweeted that Westbrook was one of her favorite players to cover during the Rockets period. Sideline reporter Leslie McCaslin felt the same, saying Westbrook’s toughness made her more professional. Andoff-camera, he possesses rare sensitivity: when McCaslin was pregnant, Westbrook personally selected a high-end baby stroller and gave it to her.

“He is more humane than people imagine,” McCaslin told Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins in 2016, “He just doesn’t want you to know.”

A Teammate Loved by Everyone

Westbrook, who seems inaccessible to the media, is seen as a bridge by teammates. Many players who have worked with him call him the best teammate of their career, someone who can bring everyone together. Clint Capela, who only partnered with Westbrook for 35 games, is one of them, calling Westbrook the “most genuine superstar” he has worked with.

“A very cheerful person, really nice,” Capela told me, “Always laughing, always joking. I thought then, wow, I never imagined a superstar could be so great.”

Capela once casually said he liked a very expensive bracelet on Westbrook’s hand, Westbrook immediately took it off and gave it to him.

Alex Abrines was teammates with Westbrook for three years, a difficult period in his career plagued by loneliness. Abrines stated: “Westbrook was very good to me. When I wanted to quit, he took me out to eat, that really helped me.”

Another former Thunder teammate Jerami Grant also agrees: “He is real, just a real person. He cares about every teammate, tries to understand you as a person, pushes you to be your best self.”

DeAndre Jordan persuaded Westbrook to join the Nuggets last season, they have known each other for 20 years. Jordan calls him “one of the most fun and caring people in the league”. He witnessed Westbrook mentoring young players, especially caring for undrafted rookie Trey Alexander.

“He buys meals for everyone, buys clothes for teammates. It’s great to see him giving back to these young people who respect him through actions.”

Westbrook is extremely generous to teammates, but famously disciplined with his own money.

“I saw him keeping his own accounts a few times at breakfast,” Grant said, “I asked him: bro, you still do this yourself?”

Westbrook’s former coach Scott Brooks once sat in first class on a plane, seeing Westbrook heading to economy. Brooks asked why he wasn’t sitting upfront, Westbrook replied: “Save $300, we arrive at the same time.”

Low-key Charity

Westbrook’s kindness extends far beyond teammates. Just don’t expect him to mention it.

“Westbrook does good deeds, hides them, then exposes the less friendly side outwardly,” Katz said, “It’s a fascinating contrast.”

Westbrook donated the cars he received from two All-Star MVP awards to families in need. He frequently visits children’s hospitals, once fulfilling a Christmas wish for a 13-year-old quadriplegic boy.

He pulls teammates together to distribute Thanksgiving turkeys, donated hundreds of shoes for children, sent meals to nurses during the pandemic. There are more acts of kindness we will never know.

“He doesn’t want too much coverage,” Jordan said.

Westbrook is also deeply loved by NBA staff. According to Jenkins’ SI report, he would attend ice hockey games, soccer matches, and piano recitals of Thunder employees’ children.Every year, he gives each staff member a pair of AJs and a Jordan athletic suit.

Grant said Westbrook taught him to always leave high tips for cleaning ladies. Dallas Morning News reporter Brad Townsend revealed thatduring the NBA bubble period, Westbrook left a $8000 tip for a room service attendant, and the room was kept extremely clean.

NBA support staff usually don’t have playoff bonus shares, relying entirely on voluntary player distributions. During Thunder playoffs, it was always Westbrook leading, ensuring every staff member received money.

Years later, his friendship remains unchanged. Billy Donovan last coached Westbrook in 2019, after Donovan’s father recently passed away, he told Bulls beat reporters that Westbrook was among the first to message him condolences.

“He is always giving, just many don’t see this side,” Grant said.

Why is Westbrook so “disliked” by the media?

Why is Westbrook so kind to those around him yet so sharp with the media? Katz has a speculation.

“This is my personal guess: he is extremely competitive, always tense, this makes him see nonexistent offenses in many places, sometimes even completely without malice, he takes it as extra motivation.”

During the Thunder period, NBA reporter Chris Herring cited data asking Westbrook: that year 73% of his drives went left.Westbrook was unhappy with this question, took this observation as a challenge, every drive that night game went right, leaving the press row stunned.

Using “imagined offenses” to motivate oneself, Westbrook isn’t the first. Jordan once fabricated a story saying role player Labradford Smith said “played well” after he scored 37 points on him; O’Neill also firmly believed David Robinson refused to sign for him when young.

“Sometimes when he is angry, I understand his starting point,” Katz said, “But sometimes I just want to say: no one has any malice, before you interpreted it that way, no one thought that statement was problematic.”

Westbrook’s recent outburst might be the same. He claimed reporters were fabricating false narratives, but when pressed for specifics, he said he didn’t want to discuss further.

He might genuinely have reasonable grievances, or just once again using the media as motivation for the final stage of his career. After the outburst, he immediately delivered one of his season’s best performances: 23-point triple-double, leading the team to upset the Bulls.

This again confirms Westbrook’s complexity: chaotic, unpredictable on the court; off-court, his locker is always the neatest, never late.

As a rookie, he habitually arrived hours early to the arena, waiting in his car for practice to start; at UCLA, he would iron his T-shirts crisp. But once the whistle blows, that sense of order instantly disappears.

Westbrook was that loud MVP. Now, in his 18th season, he still averages 15.5 points, 6.5 assists, 5.4 rebounds, yet in the bottom-ranked Kings team almost no coverage—and this is exactly what he wants.

Westbrook has the right to be angry about false narratives. But the thing he least bothers to correct is the truest: he is actually one of the kindest people in the league.