NBA Legend Russell Westbrook Retires After 18 Seasons
Former MVP and nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook hangs up his sneakers after a historic 18-season career in the NBA.
Russell Westbrook, the NBA legend and nine-time All-Star, has announced his retirement following a remarkable 18-season career in the league. Speaking on the official NBA website, the seven-time triple-double winner and two-time NBA MVP revealed that "sometimes you don't even know when you've already watched the end. You had to be there. And now it's over."
Throughout his stellar career, Westbrook held the record for the most triple-doubles in NBA history, with 209, surpassing Nikola Jokic's 198. Drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in 2008, he played his first 11 seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder before joining the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and Sacramento Kings.
The 2017 NBA MVP clinched his historic season by posting 42 triple-doubles, a single-season record. He also claimed the title of NBA scoring champion and led the league in assists for three consecutive seasons. In addition to his MVP accolades, Westbrook earned two All-Star Game MVP trophies and helped lead Team USA to a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
In his final season with the Sacramento Kings in 2025-26, Westbrook appeared in 64 games, starting in 58, and averaged 15.2 points and 6.7 assists per game. He entered the NBA with a bang, leaving behind a legacy as the fifth all-time assist leader and 14th in total scoring.
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