NBA superstar Russell Westbrook is stepping into the startup world with the launch of _Eazewell_, a new company aimed at transforming funeral planning through artificial intelligence.
NBA superstar Russell Westbrook is stepping into the startup world with the launch of Eazewell, a new company aimed at transforming funeral planning through artificial intelligence.
The Denver Nuggets point guard, currently competing in the NBA playoffs, announced the new venture alongside co-founders Kemba Walker, a former Charlotte Hornets star, and Donnell Beverly Jr., Westbrook’s longtime friend and the president of Russell Westbrook Enterprises. Beverly will serve as CEO of Eazewell.
“My whole career, on and off the court, has been about stepping up decisively in the moments that matter most,” Westbrook said in a statement. “Eazewell is exactly that — a decisive solution to a very real problem.”
Based in Los Angeles, Eazewell uses AI to simplify the funeral planning process, helping users manage everything from paperwork and budgeting to invitations and the often-overlooked logistics of canceling a deceased loved one’s bills and online accounts. One standout feature is a voice-activated AI agent capable of calling funeral homes and gathering quotes on behalf of users.
The platform is free to use and does not currently feature advertising. While funding details have not been disclosed, the company has revenue-sharing agreements in place with partner service providers and is developing additional partnerships with finance and life insurance companies. Eazewell has a team of 11 and has already supported more than 1,000 families through its beta launch.
“We’re trying to take the weight off people’s shoulders as much as we can,” said Walker, who also played college basketball with Beverly at the University of Connecticut. “This process is hard enough without having to manage every detail alone.”
The company was born out of personal experience. As high schoolers, Westbrook and Beverly lost their teammate Khelcey Barrs III to an undiagnosed heart condition—a tragedy that left a lifelong impact. Westbrook continues to honor Barrs by wearing a bracelet with his initials, KB3, and naming a signature shoe after him.
Years later, after the deaths of both of Beverly’s parents—his father in 2016 and his mother in 2023—he found the funeral planning process emotionally taxing and unnecessarily complex. That experience served as the catalyst for Eazewell.
“It just seems like the perfect time to really turn our shared pain into purpose,” Beverly said.
Viviane Ghaderi, Eazewell’s chief technology officer and a former Amazon executive, said recent advancements in artificial intelligence have enabled the creation of digital agents that can approach sensitive tasks with empathy and precision.
Stephen Stokols, CEO of Tru Skye Ventures and an early investor in Eazewell, called the platform a “transformational” step forward for an industry that has seen little technological disruption.
Walker added, “This is something nobody teaches you. We’re building the kind of support system we all wish we had in those moments.”
Westbrook echoed the sentiment: “We know how important it is to have someone by your side to help with the details that come after a loss.”
Jay Goldberg is a staff writer at TechEchelon covering technology, markets, and policy. He files the breaking news and deal coverage that move the publication's core desks.
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