Russell Westbrook Poker Night Raises Nearly $1 Million
Russell Westbrook's charity poker night at Fontainebleau Las Vegas raised nearly $1 million for his Why Not? Foundation. Here's who played and who won.
The Russell Westbrook poker night at Fontainebleau Las Vegas raised close to $1 million for his Why Not? Foundation, PokerNews reports. Poker pro Michail Grigorev won the $10,000-buy-in tournament, beating a final table that included reality TV star Princess Love and Randall Emmett.
- The event raised $912,500 according to Pokertube, and PokerNews described it as nearly $1 million
- Six years of Westbrook's Poker Night have raised almost $3 million total
- Buy-in was $10,000 and included a one-night stay at Fontainebleau
- Michail Grigorev won the tournament, beating Princess Love and Randall Emmett at the final table
- Westbrook played 18 NBA seasons and averaged 20.9 points per game
What happened at the Russell Westbrook poker night?
The Russell Westbrook poker night returned for a sixth year, and it delivered another strong result for charity. The event ran at Fontainebleau's members-only Poodle Room in Las Vegas, staged in partnership with the World Poker Tour.
PokerNews reports the night raised nearly $1 million for the Why Not? Foundation, Westbrook's charity. Pokertube put the exact figure at $912,500, a small gap that still points to a large turnout for the cause.
Across six years, the annual poker night has now raised almost $3 million total. That money supports programs built around resilience and opportunity for young people, the mission behind the foundation since Westbrook founded it.
The format has stayed consistent each year: a mix of professional poker players, celebrities and current or retired athletes, all buying into one tournament for a shared cause rather than for their own bankrolls.
Who played in the tournament?
The field mixed poker professionals with celebrities and athletes from outside the game. WPT ambassadors Phil Ivey and Vince Van Patten sat down alongside 2025 WSOP Main Event champion Michael Mizrachi, according to PokerNews.
Fellow NBA players DeAndre Jordan and Harrison Barnes also bought into the event. Entry cost $10,000 and came with perks, including a one-night hotel stay at Fontainebleau, a newer resort on the Las Vegas Strip.
Westbrook played too, and had one memorable hand along the way. He moved all in with top pair against reality TV star Princess Love, an avid poker player in her own right.
Princess Love had flopped top two pair, and it held through the turn and river to eliminate the host from his own tournament. It made for one of the more talked-about moments of the night.
Who won the tournament?
Poker pro Michail Grigorev took down the title. He beat a final table that included Princess Love and Randall Emmett, both known names outside the poker world as well as inside it.
Ivey, Mizrachi and Westbrook all missed the final table, PokerNews reports. Big names went out earlier than expected, leaving less familiar faces to battle for the trophy.
But the tournament result wasn't the headline of the night. As PokerNews notes, the real goal was raising money for the Why Not? Foundation, and that goal was clearly met regardless of who lifted the trophy.
Why does Westbrook's charity poker night matter?
Westbrook spent 18 seasons in the NBA, averaging 20.9 points per game across seven teams. He led the league in scoring twice and won the 2016-17 Most Valuable Player award while playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He earned more than $350 million over his playing career, and he used that platform to give back even while he was still competing. The Why Not? Foundation grew out of that instinct, built to inspire young people to keep asking themselves what's possible.
The annual poker night has become one of the foundation's biggest fundraising tools. Bringing in poker legends, NBA peers and celebrities each year gives the cause visibility well beyond a typical charity dinner or auction.
Now retired from the NBA, Westbrook has kept the event running on the same schedule, and its growth from year one to nearly $3 million total shows how much traction it has built among poker's biggest names.
What it means for players
Charity poker nights like this one show how the game connects casual players, pros and celebrities in one room for a good cause. Anyone who enjoys tournament poker can take something from how the field played out, from Westbrook's all-in gone wrong to Grigorev's final-table win over recognizable names. If you want to sharpen your own tournament reads before a big buy-in event, our strategy hub and hand rankings guide are useful starting points, whether you play for charity or for a title of your own.
More on Lifes a Gambol: the free poker room.
Frequently asked
How much did the Russell Westbrook poker night raise?
PokerNews reports the event raised nearly $1 million, while Pokertube cited a figure of $912,500. The six-year total for the charity poker series is close to $3 million.
Who won Russell Westbrook's charity poker tournament?
Poker pro Michail Grigorev won the tournament. He beat a final table that included reality TV star Princess Love and Randall Emmett.
What is the Why Not? Foundation?
It's the charity founded by Russell Westbrook to inspire young people and help them build resilience. The annual poker night is one of its main fundraising events.
How much did it cost to enter the tournament?
Buy-in was $10,000, which included a one-night hotel stay at Fontainebleau in Las Vegas as part of the package.