Russell Westbrook invests in Kemba Walker's AI-assisted funeral planning startup

Planning a funeral is one of the most stressful and emotionally trying times for individuals and families, but Russell Westbrook wants to simplify that process.

Launched with former NBA star Kemba Walker and childhood friend and company co-founder Donnell Beverly Jr, Eazewell uses artificial intelligence to streamline the funeral planning process by building options based on individuals’ preferences and budgets. It also helps with paperwork, invitations and budget planning and also helps close utility accounts for the deceased, something that can be a hassle for surviving family members.

Eazewell can also use its office-activated AI to call funeral homes and compile quotes.

The company was berthed out of pain. During Westbrook and Beverly’s high school days at Lawndale, California’s Leuzinger High, their teammate on the school’s hoops squad, Khelcey Barrs III, tragically died due to an enlarged heart.

“It's a reminder that life can change in an instant," Westbrook told Forbes. "You don't get to choose the moment, but you do get to choose how you respond."

When Beverly had to deal with the losses of his mother and father in 2016 and 2023, respectively, the exasperation over the experience as well as impact of Barrs’ untimely death helped lead to the formation of Eazewell.

Beverly, who is also serves as president of Russell Westbrook Enterprises, told CNBC:

"It just seems like the perfect time to really turn our shared pain into purpose."

Walker, who played collegiate basketball with Beverly at UCONN, told CNBC:

"We're trying to take the weight off people's shoulders as much as we can, and make this process so much easier for people."

Eazewell has 11 employees and has beta-tested the platform with over 1,000 families.

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Russell Westbrook wants to be a billionaire

In an interview last year with Forbes, NBA star Russell Westbrook said that he wants to be a billionaire. In the business realm, that's a pinnacle for many.

The future Hall of Famer is positioning himself for his post-basketball life to be even more financially rewarding than his years on the hardwood. Through his investment firm Russell Westbrook Enterprises, Westbrook is compiling a portfolio of assets that includes stakes in a variety of businesses, including CenterWell home health care, HealthHouse fitness studios, Pizziana restaurant and RW Digital, a minority-focused digital ads company.

While the names aren’t splashy or attention-grabbing, it's these types of investments Westbrook foresees that would take him to the rarified club of a billionaire.

The lack of glitz and glamor is the common theme across his vast portfolio.

“It’s not a sexy business by any means, but it’s a very lucrative business that grows exponentially. It clicked for me in my brain. It’s like, non-sexy is sexy for me,” he says.

Should Westbrook reach ten figures, he would be just the fourth billionaire athlete, joining Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and LeBron James. Westbrook’s current net worth is valued at $300 million (Celebrity Net Worth).