September 29, 2017 will go down in Oklahoma City Thunder history as the day Russell Westbrook committed his future to the franchise by signing his five-year, $205 million extension.
As a token of the City of Oklahoma City's appreciation, Mayor Mick Cornett on that day also signed a proclamation that says “every day” is Russell Westbrook Day in Oklahoma City.
By Mayor Mick Cornett's official proclamation: From this day forward, Every Day is Russell Westbrook Day. #WhyNot pic.twitter.com/qh34ny7IfA
— City of OKC (@cityofokc) September 29, 2017
August 4, 2016 was previously declared to be Russell Westbrook Day after he decided not to follow Kevin Durant’s lead and opted to re-sign with the Thunder last summer. And now, it’s been extended year-round, and on Durant’s 29th birthday no less!
Those types of gestures may come across as corny to some, but it goes to show just how important the Thunder — the lone professional sports team in Oklahoma City — are to the city that even the mayor is proactive in celebrating the fact that their star player decides to stay.
There’s no way of knowing for sure, but maybe that type of attention and adulation from the entire city helped factor into Westbrook’s decision to sign that extension. And now that he has signed, he'll get to celebrate his day in the city every day of the year, which should feel pretty cool.
