Russell Westbrook gives the car he won at the NBA All-Star game to a single mum

Kerstin Gonzales initially thought it was 'a prank'

Tom Sheen
Tuesday 07 April 2015 17:08 BST
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has been one of the NBA's best and most exciting players in the league this season, playing his way into MVP contention.

Earlier this season Westbrook, 26, was named the best player in the All-Star game after scoring 41 points and was handed a brand new Kia Sorento.

Rather than keep the car for himself the guard, who will earn around $16million this season, decided to give the car to someone who really needed it.

He surprised single mum Kerstin Gonzales on Monday, giving her the car for free.

Gonzales has two sons, aged four and six, and had been receiving assistance from Sunbeam Family Services, a social services organisation in Oklahoma City. According to the Thunder, her car was broken down and she'd been having to borrow cars from family and friends to get to work and school.

According to the Thunder website, Gonzales thought it was all 'a prank'

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“[But] 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,” Gonzales said.

The basketball star said he decided to give the car to honour "all the hard work she's done to keep her family together. I just want to be able to help others any way I can."

Westbrook added: "Today was a good stepping stone to show her everything is going to be all right."

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