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Former Timberwolves player Nathan Knight signed with South Korean team Sono SkyGunners for the 2025-26 season.
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Inspired by Westbrook’s mantra — “Why not?” is the namesake of his charitable foundation and signature shoes — Taehyun Kim left his job after about nine months to pursue his passion for basketball. Six years later, that pursuit led him from Suwon, South Korea, to Denver when the encounter of a lifetime unfolded. Kim was standing in the corner of Ball Arena, near his seat behind the Nuggets’ bench. He was already beaming as he watched Westbrook’s postgame interview on the Jumbotron. He had chosen a perfect game. Vintage Russ had made an appearance, scoring 25 points in a comeback win.
Vintage Russ had made an appearance, scoring 25 points in a comeback win. Then as the interview ended, Altitude Sports color analyst Scott Hastings pointed out Kim to Westbrook. “I appreciate you, brother,” the 36-year-old guard said, removing his blue Nuggets jersey and beelining toward a stunned Kim. Westbrook hugged the self-labeled superfan and signed the back of the jersey. “How can I express that?” Kim said later in an interview with The Denver Post, searching for the appropriate words to describe the interaction, both in English and in the language of human emotions. “That was like a movie. It’s not a reality. I just said, ‘Oh my god.'”
NBA on ESPN: Russell Westbrook gave a fan his jersey after traveling from South Korea to watch him play ❤️ (via @NBA) pic.x.com/ebPItQoWPy
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Cliff Alexander, a former Blazers player, joined South Korean team Anyang JKJ Red Boosters for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
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