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Retired NBA guard Russell Westbrook hosted the sixth edition of his annual charity poker event in Las Vegas, and it proved to be another major success. His Why Not? Foundation, working with the World Poker Tour (WPT), raised close to $1 million during the evening.

The result pushes the event’s six-year total to nearly $3 million raised for charitable causes. The tournament took place at Fontainebleau’s exclusive Poodle Room and required a $10,000 buy-in, which included perks such as a one-night stay at the Las Vegas resort.

Notable poker figures joined Westbrook for the occasion, including WPT ambassadors Phil Ivey and Vince Van Patten, as well as 2025 WSOP Main Event champion Michael Mizrachi. Fellow NBA players DeAndre Jordan and Harrison Barnes also attended in support of the cause.

Westbrook, who spent 18 seasons in the league and averaged 20.9 points per game across seven teams, won the NBA MVP award in 2016-17 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He also led the league in scoring twice during his career, which earned him more than $350 million.

During tournament play, Westbrook was eliminated after moving all in with top pair against reality television personality Princess Love, who rivered a flopped two pair to win the hand. Poker pro Michail Grigorev ultimately won the event, topping a final table that included Princess Love and Randall Emmett, while Ivey, Mizrachi, and Westbrook all fell short of the final group.

The Why Not? Foundation, founded by Westbrook, aims to inspire young people to build resilience and pursue opportunity despite obstacles.