Russell Westbrook refutes report of jersey rejection

On Tuesday, a report surfaced that Russell Westbrook had requested the number "0" jersey from new teammate Christian Braun and was refused. The report quickly went viral as fans began to speculate whether Westbrook would find success with the Denver Nuggets after joining the team earlier this summer.

Westbrook has since taken to Instagram to refute the report. He claimed that he never asked for his former jersey number and had no intentions of doing so. Instead, the former MVP plans on wearing a new number to mark a new phase in his career.

“Let's please leave our young star alone," Westbrook wrote. "CB and I never discussed him passing along the number 0. I didn't want, inquire about, or request the number 0 because I chose to mark this new change with a “new” number. The excitement of the new season has already begun, and unfortunately I know that means the offload of many false stories. Not today! CB and I are locked in and ready to get things rockin' in the Mile High city!"

Despite his Hall of Fame-worthy career, Westbrook is among the most divisive players in the NBA. He has a core set of fans who see his value to a team. However, there is also a growing number of fans who believe his presence often hinders a team due to his ball-dominant style of play and lack of a perimeter game.

Nevertheless, Westbrook's addition to the Nuggets is smart business . He provides an elite-level backup for Jamal Murray, who has dealt with a string of injuries throughout his career, while also turbo-charging the team's bench unit.

Westbrook's status as a former NBA star whose career is on the decline makes him susceptible to criticism. Judging by his comments, he's handling the mid-summer scrutiny well and is focused on making an impact for his new team.