Russell Westbrook’s Why Not? Foundation Hosts 13th Annual Free Basketball Camp
Photo Courtesy of the Why Not? Foundation
Russell Westbrook’s Why Not? Foundation is hosting its annual free basketball camp for children in South Los Angeles and Altadena on July 30 and 31.
California Blog
☀️
California Blog ☀️
LOS ANGELES, July 31, 2026, (CALIFORNIA NEWS TODAY) — Youth development nonprofit the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation is hosting its 13th annual free summer basketball camp for children ages 7 to 14 in South Los Angeles and Altadena.
The first day of the camp is being held July 30 at the Russell Westbrook Community Court at Jesse Owens Park in South Los Angeles. The second session will take place July 31 at Loma Alta Park in Altadena.
Westbrook will participate in both sessions, leading drills, coaching scrimmages and presenting awards to campers.
Participants will rotate through basketball skill stations, conditioning exercises, scrimmages and tournament play with coaches and foundation staff. Each camper will also receive Jordan Brand gear, camp apparel, lunch and mentorship.
“I still remember being a kid on that court waiting to get picked, and the feeling when somebody called my name. So every summer, I stand where the older guys once stood, and I spend two days making sure every kid gets picked, feels seen, and knows they can and should always ask, ‘Why not me? Why not now?’” said Russell Westbrook, Founder of Russell Westbrook Enterprises and the Why Not? Foundation.
Westbrook established the foundation in 2012 and began hosting the basketball camp at Jesse Owens Park in 2013. More than 1,000 children have participated since the program began.
The camp expanded to Altadena in 2025 to serve children and families affected by the Eaton Fire. The foundation has also provided grants and other assistance to families displaced by the fire.
“After the fires, we knew families needed more than emergency supplies. They needed moments where their children could feel happy, active, and cared for without their parents having to organize one more thing. That is what this camp does. A child leaves with gear in their hands, a story to tell, and a community around them that says, we still see you, we are still here. Some former campers now return as Westbrook Academy students to help run it, and families we first met on this court come back every November for our Thanksgiving distribution. Everyone involved is helping create the kind of day a family can feel immediately and remember for years,” said Amelia Williamson, Managing Director of the Why Not? Foundation.
The July 30 session is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Jesse Owens Park, located at 9651 S. Western Ave. in Los Angeles. The July 31 session will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Loma Alta Park, located at 3330 N. Lincoln Ave. in Altadena.
The Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation supports programs focused on education, workforce development, mental health, youth sports and community assistance.
For more information, visit www.whynotfoundation.org.
