Russell Westbrook is calling it a career after 18 seasons.
The former MVP guard Westbrook announced in a video post on Wednesday that he has decided to retire from the NBA. The video, narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan, featured a retrospective of Westbrook’s storied career.
“Sometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end,” Westbrook wrote in his caption. “You had to be there. And now it’s over.”
Sometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end.
— Russell Westbrook (@russwest44) August 12, 2026
You had to be there. And now it’s over. pic.twitter.com/6YoOW8WyIV
Now 37 years old, Westbrook was a standout at UCLA who was originally the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the then-Seattle SuperSonics. Upon the franchise transitioning into the Oklahoma City Thunder later on in 2008, Westbrook went on to become arguably the single most iconic player in team history.
During his run in OKC from 2008-19, Westbrook was an eight-time All-Star, an eight-time All-NBA selection, a two-time scoring champion and a two-time assists leader. He also won NBA MVP in 2017 (immediately after the departure of his former co-star Kevin Durant) by becoming the first player to average a triple-double over an entire season in 55 years.
Also later playing for the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and Sacramento Kings, Westbrook will ultimately go down as one of the most exciting yet polarizing players of his generation. While Westbrook’s absolute fearlessness on the court regularly led to mistakes and inefficient play, that same fearlessness is exactly what made Westbrook so dominant and so memorable.
After he averaged 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game for the Sacramento Kings last season, Westbrook was linked to some interesting teams in free agency. Recently though, Westbrook had been dropping some public hints that the end might be near.
Now Westbrook is officially calling it quits after 27,716 career points scored (16th all-time), 10,351 career assists (fifth all-time), nearly $350 million in total career salary earned, and numerous other feathers in his cap. Though Westbrook was never able to win an championship, his legacy is ultimately secure as one of the most electrifying talents in league history with a dedicated fanbase who staunchly defended him throughout all of his ups and downs.
