Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love took time to acknowledge the generosity of his former college teammate, Russell Westbrook, who left a generous tip and gracious note to the housekeeping staff within the NBA bubble.
Housekeeping staffs in hotels are traditionally underpaid workers whose daily workload can often be messy and exhausting. The continuing coronavirus pandemic has added an unexpected level of potential dangers to that job that are often overlooked.
Westbrook had previously contracted the virus, which likely allowed him to have more empathy for those individuals working in his room. Still, he was not required to acknowledge the housekeeping staff with such a kind gesture.
The 2019-20 season came to an end for Westbrook and his Houston Rockets team in the Western Conference semifinals on Sept. 12. The Rockets lost in five games to the eventual conference champion Los Angeles Lakers.
News of Westbrook’s generosity only recently surfaced, with someone other than Westbrook disclosing the information. That fact helps establish that Westbrook wasn’t seeking recognition for his generous act.
Love witnessed Westbrook’s personality during the 2007-08 men’s basketball season at University of California, Los Angeles. It was a brief period that ended when both players entered the 2008 NBA draft.
Westbrook was chosen by the Seattle Supersonics with the fourth overall pick, followed by Love, who was chosen by the Memphis Grizzlies before being dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Both players have gone on to great NBA success in the ensuing 12 years, and it’s clear that Love still has admiration for his former teammate.
