Rumors of Russell Westbrook Joining Hapoel Tel Aviv Denied by Club

On August 9, a Twitter user named Mark Jacobs claimed that NBA star Russell Westbrook was in talks with Hapoel Tel Aviv, citing a report from The Athletic and even posting a doctored image of Westbrook in blue with a Maccabi logo. This rumor was briefly echoed by a few European media outlets but was firmly denied by Hapoel Tel Aviv, who stated there are no negotiations and that their point guard position is already filled. The club recently signed Eugene German alongside Vasilya Micic, Tomas Satoransky, and Tamir Blatt.

Westbrook, 37, a former NBA MVP, is currently a free agent and recently expressed his desire to continue playing in the NBA, explicitly dismissing retirement and not mentioning any plans to move to Europe. The Athletic itself has no record of such talks, and the original reporter, Jacobs, identifies as a senior writer for @lakerfilm, a relatively small account with just over 4,200 followers and limited activity.

Westbrook concluded last season with the Sacramento Kings, averaging 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game. At his peak in the 2016/17 season with Oklahoma City, he was the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season. The Hapoel Tel Aviv club continues to build its roster but denies any connection to Westbrook at this time.