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Only a few minutes into his introductory
news conference, Russell Westbrook said something Friday that would've caused a
collective spit take around the NBA just a few weeks ago.

"I only care about one team,"
Westbrook said, "and that's the Houston Rockets."

After spending his first 11 seasons with
the Oklahoma City Thunder, Westbrook officially embarked on a new chapter
Friday. It was a somewhat surreal image, Westbrook dressed in Rockets colors
with general manager Daryl Morey sitting to his right.

"To get something great, you've got to
give up something great," Morey said.

The Rockets traded Chris Paul and future
draft compensation to Oklahoma City on July 11, reuniting Westbrook with former
Thunder teammate James Harden.

"We've been friends for many, many
years," Westbrook said of Harden. "Since I was 10, actually. So we've
played with each other in Oklahoma City, and to be able to win something,
you've got to be willing to sacrifice some parts of your game, and we both
understand that.”

"We both understand that we have one
common goal and that's to win a championship. We understand what we have to do.
I'm not worried about it, and I know James isn't worried about it. I can play
off the ball; I don't have to touch the ball to impact the game. That's the
best way for me to come in and impact this team. I can do other things on the
floor to make sure we have a better chance to win."

Westbrook and Harden played together for
three seasons in Oklahoma City, culminating in 2012. Harden, who won the NBA's
Sixth Man of the Year Award that season, was traded to the Rockets before the
beginning of the 2012-13 campaign. Westbrook was already an All-Star at the
time, but both players established themselves as franchise players, winning
MVPs and making NBA history along the way.

Westbrook and Harden share confidence about
making the pairing work in Houston because of their familiarity with each
other, but they were significantly different players when they last were
teammates.

"I'll fit right in, personally,"
Westbrook said. "Floor spread, it gives me the opportunity to attack,
penetrate, kick. Defensively, it'll give me an opportunity to switch and guard
and rebound at a high level. Push the break, get us out on the break. A lot of
different things.”

But there was one more thing he wanted his
new fans to know.

"That I'm a nice guy," Westbrook
said with a smile. "Obviously when I play the game, I'm going out to
compete. I'm going out to win. And I don't care how that looks."