Oklahoma City Thunder star point guard Russell Westbrook received a brand new Kia Sorento SUV when he was named the 2015 NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player last February. The vehicle is a nice bonus for winning the top individual honor at the annual event, but for a basketball player that makes $15.7 million per year, Westbrook decided that the SUV would be better off as a gift.
In the middle of an intense push to propel his team to the NBA playoffs, Westbrook found time to donate the SUV to Kerstin Gonzalez, a 19-year-old single mom living in Oklahoma City.
The point guard channeled the donation through his own Why Not? Foundation with the assistance of certain staff of the Thunder, who looked for a person that would receive the vehicle as a gift. Upon contacting a Sunbeam Family Services, a local agency that helps low-income families to connect with services and programs, they found Gonzalez, a single mother with two boys that is currently on her way to graduating from high school in spring with sights set on pursuing higher education.
According to Nick Gallo from Thunder.com, Gonzalez was only 14 years old when she got pregnant with now 4-year-old Matthew. Also with 2-year-old Adam, Gonzalez has been receiving assistance from Sunbeam for some time, with the money she saves through the agency's assistance being put into her education.
The shape of Gonzalez' car was not great at all, with the single mother having to borrow vehicles from friends and family to drive herself to her work, her school, and for picking up her children.
On the morning of April 6, Gonzalez went to Sunbeam for what she thought was an ordinary meeting with her children. However, it was Westbrook that entered the room, and after the initial shock of meeting a Thunder player and a brief talk with Westbrook, the Thunder guard took out the keys to the Kia Sorento from his pocket and gave it to Gonzalez. The single mother was then brought to tears.
"When he showed me the keys, I was like 'this is real'. That's when I started to cry because it's been such a hard time," said Gonzalez.
"There were definitely tears of joy and I could tell some tears of hard work and all the different things she's been through in her life," said Westbrook. "Today was a stepping stone in showing her that everything is going to be alright."
Westbrook's gift extends beyond the vehicle as well, as the Thunder guard has committed to pay for the first year of payments for the car's registration, insurance and other costs to ease off the burden of fees from Gonzalez.
The demeanor of Westbrook has been a topic of controversy, with the point guard's disinterest in interaction with media personnel. However, the Thunder guard has shown his love for Oklahoma City, highlighted by his recent statements that he is more interested in winning the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award of the NBA than the regular season Most Valuable Player trophy.
