Westbrook Eyes Torch Role for Los Angeles 2028

October 9, 2026 - 18:41

Russell Westbrook has set his sights on a new goal now that his playing days are behind him. The retired NBA guard and Olympic gold medal winner said he wants to be one of the people who carries the torch when his native Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer Games.

Westbrook grew up in the Los Angeles area and has long been tied to the city through his college career at UCLA and his time with the Lakers. Carrying the torch would be a personal honor, he said, and a way to represent the community that shaped him.

The 2028 Olympics will mark the third time Los Angeles has staged the Summer Games, following 1932 and 1984. Organizers have promised a event spread across the region's existing venues, with the opening ceremony planned at the Coliseum and events reaching into communities across the city.

Westbrook won gold with Team USA in 2012 and built a reputation as one of the most intense competitors of his era. He said the chance to take part in the torch relay would let him give something back to the city on a stage that only comes around once in a generation.

He added that he is ready to answer the call if organizers want him involved.