Basketball player Russell Westbrook spotted wearing a Rolex

Russell Westbrook joined a growing roster of athletes who can't resist the most talked-about wrist quirk in modern horology. The former MVP and ten-time All-Star was spotted courtside at an NBA Summer League game wearing the Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126720VTNR — the so-called 'lefty' GMT — on the Jubilee bracelet variation, paired with the striking green and black 'Sprite' bezel combination.

Introduced at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2022, the 126720VTNR is architecturally unique in Rolex's current catalog: the winding crown is positioned at 9 o'clock rather than the traditional 3 o'clock, a configuration Rolex last produced in the reference 6542 back in the 1950s. The 40mm Oystersteel case houses the in-house Calibre 3285, a proprietary movement featuring a Chronergy escapement, Parachrom hairspring, and a 70-hour power reserve. The bidirectional rotatable bezel uses Rolex's Cerachrom ceramic insert in green and black — a color pairing that collectors quickly christened 'Sprite,' echoing the beloved 'Batman' and 'Pepsi' naming tradition of the GMT-Master II lineage.

From a collector standpoint, the 126720VTNR generated immediate waitlist frenzy upon release. The left-crown configuration is genuinely functional for left-handed wearers — setting the time without removing the watch from the wrist — but the vast majority of buyers, Westbrook apparently included, wear it on the left wrist regardless of dominant hand. That irony has done nothing to dampen demand. The Jubilee bracelet variant, with its elegant five-link construction, is widely considered the more refined of the two bracelet options alongside the Oyster, and commands a slight premium on the secondary market.

Westbrook has long cultivated a reputation as one of basketball's most fashion-forward personalities, frequently appearing at Paris Fashion Week and collaborating with brands like Honor the Gift. His horological taste runs toward statement pieces, and the lefty GMT fits that profile — technically serious, instantly recognizable, and conversation-starting without being ostentatious.

On the grey market, the 126720VTNR on Jubilee trades well above its official retail price, reflecting sustained demand that Rolex's authorized dealer network has not been able to satisfy since launch. For a working timepiece with genuine mechanical substance and a legitimate historical callback, it remains one of the most defensible buys in the current Rolex sports catalogue.