Russell Westbrook Details Michael Jordan Conversation During Playoff Strike

The NBA season was in danger of being canceled as players mulled the next step after sitting out a trio of playoff games on Wednesday. And as the league's players dissented over how they should move forward, Russell Westbrook teamed up with perhaps the greatest player in league history. 

Westbrook and Thunder point guard Chris Paul spoke with Michael Jordan on Wednesday night, and the NBA legend (and current Hornets owner) provided plenty of pertinent advice, per Westbrook.

"Well [Jordan] has always been huge in trying to give back not just to communities, but African-American communities," Westbrook told the media in a Zoom call on Friday. "During the meeting between myself and players and owners, he was huge. He was huge in making sure that whatever we want to do together, we get it done."

"We’ve had previous conversations with ownership and players and some of the things that we wanted we weren’t able to get done. But MJ was adamant about making sure that we get things done and get them done the right way." 

The players agreed on Thursday to resume the season, and their return wasn't without a significant commitment to social justice from the league office and owners across the NBA. The league will now form a social justice committee with a focus on voting rights and battling police brutality, and the Rockets will be using the Toyota Center as a polling station ahead of the 2020 election. 

"These commitments follow months of close collaboration around designing a safe and healthy environment to restart the NBA season, providing a platform to promote social justice, as well as creating an NBA Foundation focused on economic empowerment in the Black community," NBPA executive director Michele Roberts and NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.

"We look forward to the resumption of the playoffs and continuing to work together–in Orlando and in all NBA team markets–to push for meaningful and substantial change."

The Rockets will return to the floor on Saturday as they look to take a 3–2 lead on the Thunder in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Saturday's contest will mark Westbrook's first playoff game with Houston after the 2016-17 MVP missed the first four postseason games in 2020 due to a strained right quad. And while Westbrook would be happy to return under any context, the NBA's commitment to social justice has buoyed his spirits. 

"I'm excited to play," Westbrook said. "But I’m more excited that we’re playing for a cause, that we’re in agreeance to make sure that there’s action."

Westbrook averaged 29 points per game in three contests against the Thunder in 2019-20. He previously spent the last 11 seasons in Oklahoma City before being traded to the Rockets in July 2019. 

Tip-off on Saturday is slated for 5:30 p.m. CT.