Russell Westbrook Retires After Illustrious 18-Year NBA Career

Russell Westbrook, renowned for his outstanding triple-double performances and awarded the NBA MVP in 2017, declared his retirement on Wednesday. His decision marks the end of a remarkable 18-season career highlighted by his inclusion in the NBA’s 75th-anniversary team.

Westbrook made this announcement via social media, sharing a video featuring a narrative by actor Michael B. Jordan. The video was poignant, as Westbrook himself remained silent. He wrote, “Sometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end. You had to be there. And now it’s over.”

Drafted as the No. 4 pick in 2008 by the Seattle SuperSonics, Westbrook began his NBA journey just before the team’s relocation to Oklahoma City, where he played his first 11 seasons. This past season, he played for the Sacramento Kings.

Westbrook’s career was distinguished by numerous accolades. He led the NBA in assists three times and earned the title of scoring champion twice. He also received the MVP award at the All-Star Game on two occasions. Westbrook secured an Olympic gold medal as part of the 2012 London Games.

Consistently breaking records, Westbrook accumulated 209 triple-doubles, with his last recorded on March 15. Nikola Jokic follows with 198 triple-doubles at the start of this season. In the 2016-17 season, Westbrook set the NBA record for most triple-doubles in a single season, achieving 42, which earned him his sole MVP award. He maintained averages of double figures in points and assists across five of six seasons starting in the 2015-16 season.

During his career, Westbrook also played for several other teams, including Houston, Washington, the Lakers, and Clippers. In the 2022-23 season, he spent time with both the Los Angeles teams and Denver.

In the last season spent with Sacramento, Westbrook started in 58 of the 64 games he played, posting averages of 15.2 points and 6.7 assists.

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