DALLAS — Project B said Wednesday that Russell Westbrook has joined the startup basketball league as a co-founder and chief strategy officer. The announcement came in a release distributed through Business Wire. Westbrook also owns a stake in Project B and now has a seat on its board.
Project B said Westbrook will help set the basketball direction of the league and its long-term plans. His responsibilities also extend to partnerships, including potential work involving Russell Westbrook Enterprises, the operating and investment company he founded. The league said more partnership announcements are coming.
Wednesday’s announcement is Westbrook’s first major business move since he closed an 18-year playing career. Project B has announced 15 women’s players for its inaugural season and has offered them equity in the league on top of their salaries, Front Office Sports reported.
“At every step of my career, what was most valuable to me was making sure everyone had a seat at the table,” Westbrook said in a statement. “With Project B, we’re challenging the norm and bringing a new vision to the intersection of premium sport, culture, and entertainment.”
“We’re reimagining the experience with players not only as key value drivers, but also as shareholders and decision makers,” Westbrook continued.
Two Dallas Wings Players Have Signed With Project B
Two of the 15 are on the Dallas Wings roster. Guard Azzi Fudd joined the league on June 19, with Fortune first reporting the signing and Front Office Sports confirming it. Forward Alanna Smith was announced in April.
Dallas selected Fudd first overall in the 2026 WNBA draft out of UConn. She averaged 13.1 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists over 30 games as a rookie, with a 39.7% mark from 3-point range. Her last appearance came Aug. 5 at Washington. Dallas announced Aug. 19 that Fudd would undergo an arthroscopic procedure on her right knee and miss the rest of the season.
Smith signed a three-year maximum contract with Dallas in free agency last offseason. In 2025, playing for the Minnesota Lynx, she was named co-Defensive Player of the Year. Through 32 games this season she has averaged 6.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.0 assists. Smith also won a championship in Unrivaled’s 2026 season, which runs in the same winter window Project B is targeting.
Mai Yamamoto, another of the 15, signed a training camp contract with Dallas and has never appeared in a WNBA game, Front Office Sports reported.
Project B Plans A January 2027 Launch
Project B is scheduled to begin play in January 2027. Its tournament model will move between host markets in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, with games streamed live on YouTube. ESPN reported that the plan calls for six teams with 11 players apiece. Project B has referred to the setup as a global grand prix, mixing younger players with established international talent.
Front Office Sports reported that Project B salaries will exceed $2 million annually for some players. Under the WNBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, the supermax reaches $1.4 million this season. Project B intends to play from December through April, putting it opposite Unrivaled and European club seasons. That window falls outside the WNBA season and FIBA commitments.
Grady Burnett, a co-founder and the company’s chief operating officer, told Front Office Sports earlier this year that Project B’s funding does not include any money from Saudi Arabia. The league has said its relationship with the Saudi events company Sela has ended.
“Project B was built to put athletes inside the ownership and decision-making structure from the beginning,” Burnett said in the release. “Russell brings an extraordinary combination of basketball intelligence, business ownership, cultural relevance and global reach. As co-founder, he will help shape both the game and the company as we expand the future for basketball globally.”
Alana Beard, a co-founder, is Project B’s chief basketball officer. Former Atlanta Hawks general manager Landry Fields was appointed head of men’s basketball on July 9, and Igor Kokoškov was named head of player development on July 16. Serbian agent Miško Ražnatović advises the league.
Russell Westbrook Retired In August After 18 Seasons
Westbrook announced his retirement Aug. 12 in a video posted to his social media accounts. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft, selected by the Seattle SuperSonics months before the franchise moved to Oklahoma City, and he spent his first 11 seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Over 1,301 regular season games with seven teams, he averaged 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.6 steals in 33.1 minutes. He won the 2016-17 MVP award and made nine All-Star teams.
Westbrook retired as the NBA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles with 209. He ranks fifth in career assists. His 27,176 points rank 14th on the career scoring list.
Westbrook played 64 games for the Sacramento Kings last season. He averaged 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in 29.0 minutes per game. Westbrook made 58 starts and hit 33.8% of his 3-point attempts.
Project B did not address in Wednesday’s release whether Westbrook plans to play in the league.
Dallas is 24-16 and fourth in the Western Conference with four regular season games left. The Wings clinched a playoff berth on Aug. 25 with a 96-78 win over the Portland Fire. They resume play Sept. 17 against the Los Angeles Sparks, with tip-off set for 7 p.m. CT at College Park Center.
