Highlights
- Westbrook, who retired this summer after 18 NBA seasons, joins Project B as co-founder and chief strategy officer with an equity stake.
- Project B has reportedly raised $5 billion and is targeting a launch in early 2027 with both men's and women's competition.
- Phoenix Suns beat reporters had floated Westbrook as a potential offseason addition before his retirement became final.
- Alana Beard, former WNBA champion, serves as Project B's chief basketball officer alongside Westbrook.
Russell Westbrook, who retired this summer after 18 NBA seasons, is taking his next act into league-building: the nine-time All-Star has joined Project B as a co-founder and chief strategy officer, with an equity stake in the upstart men's and women's basketball league.
The move closes the book on any Scottsdale-adjacent storyline. Suns beat reporter Duane Rankin had listed Westbrook as a potential fit for Phoenix during the team's offseason retooling, per Sports Illustrated. That conversation is now moot.
Westbrook retired as the NBA's all-time leader in triple-doubles with 209, according to The Athletic. He joins Alana Beard, a former WNBA champion and All-Star who serves as Project B's chief basketball officer.
Project B has reportedly raised $5 billion and is targeting a launch in early 2027. The league will field both men's and women's teams, positioning itself as a direct competitor to established professional basketball infrastructure.
For Suns watchers, the practical effect is simple: the veteran point guard who averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds off the bench for Denver last season is no longer available to any NBA roster. Phoenix's offseason point guard calculus now belongs entirely to whoever the front office has already signed or is still pursuing.
Project B's first games are targeted for early 2027.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- espn.com retrieved 02/09/2026 19:29
- nytimes.com retrieved 02/09/2026 19:29
- si.com retrieved 02/09/2026 19:29
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 02/09/2026 19:29. Every claim traces to a source.
