Russell Westbrook announces NBA retirement after 18 seasons

What the report says

Russell Westbrook has announced his retirement from the NBA after 18 seasons, according to an Al Jazeera report citing a social media post and a short video released on Wednesday. Westbrook, 37, is a former league MVP and one of the most statistically decorated guards in NBA history. His announcement signals the end of a career that included 1,301 regular-season games and stops with seven franchises.

The report highlights Westbrook’s place in the record books: he finished with 209 career triple-doubles, the most in league history, including 42 in his 2016-17 MVP season with Oklahoma City. That year he averaged a triple-double across the full season, a feat not accomplished since Oscar Robertson. Westbrook also ranks among the NBA’s all-time leaders in assists and scoring and was selected to the league’s 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.

Much of Westbrook’s legacy was built in Oklahoma City, where he spent 11 seasons after being drafted fourth overall by Seattle in 2008 before the team moved. Alongside Kevin Durant and James Harden, he helped the Thunder reach the 2012 NBA Finals. The article also notes his gold medal with the United States at the 2012 London Olympics and his recent season with Sacramento, where he played 64 games.

Beyond his individual accolades, Westbrook’s retirement closes a career known for intensity, durability and a highly aggressive style of play. For Oklahoma City, where team officials praised his impact, the announcement marks the departure of one of the franchise’s defining figures.