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Dec 22, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) talks to referee Andy Nagy (83) during overtime against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Ex-NBA Guard Compared Russell Westbrook to Two Legends

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 8:43 AM ET

NBA teams across the league have fired up training camp. For the first time since Russell Westbrook entered the NBA, he is not on a roster.

At the end of the 2024-2025 NBA season, Westbrook declined his player option with the Denver Nuggets. He took a gamble by hitting the free agency market. So far, it doesn’t seem to be paying off.

Looking at the situation from afar, former NBA guard Rashad McCants takes issue with the lack of interest from teams in Westbrook. The 2005 14th overall pick compared Westbrook to two NBA legends who left the league in unexpected ways.

via @SoundbiteKing: They gon treat @russwest44 like they did @carmeloanthony and @alleniverson watch. Interrupted Greatness for no reason at all!!!!!

They gon treat @russwest44 like they did @carmeloanthony and @alleniverson watch.

Interrupted Greatness for no reason at all!!!!!
— Rashad McCants (@SoundbiteKing) September 30, 2025

Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony can look back at their careers and feel totally satisfied with the way they ultimately played out. After all, they are Hall of Famers.

That’s not to say that there wasn’t frustration involved at the time. Iverson’s final NBA minutes were logged during the 2009-2010 NBA season. He played 28 total games that year, appearing in three games with the Memphis Grizzlies and 25 games with the Philadelphia 76ers.

After being the No. 1 draft pick in 1996, Iverson had a career filled with accolades to show for his success. His 12-year stint with the Sixers was his most notable run, while his three-year stretch with the Denver Nuggets still showcased high-caliber play.

However, Iverson had a sharp decline after that. Many believe that frustration boiled over and prevented Iverson from reaching his potential later in his career, as coaches wanted him to begin accepting a lesser role.

Anthony’s career went in a similar direction. The former power forward was selected third overall in the 2003 NBA Draft. He made 10 All-Star games and frequently found himself in the MVP conversation. Anthony had a lot of success with the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks from 2003 to 2017. After one season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Anthony had a tough 10-game stretch with the Houston Rockets.

Following his time with the Rockets, Anthony started 58 games with the Portland Trail Blazers. By his second season with the Blazers, Anthony was a full-time reserve. That trend continued with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-2022. That ended up being Anthony’s final year.

Russell Westbrook has been in the NBA since 2008. The former fourth pick started every game from 2009 up until the 2022-2023 season. Last year, Westbrook started 36 of the 75 games he played with the Denver Nuggets.

After averaging 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists with the Nuggets last year, Westbrook hasn’t garnered much attention on the open market.

The specific reason for the lack of interest is unclear. McCants seems to believe that Westbrook’s superstardom might’ve scared teams off at this stage of his career. Despite Westbrook’s former teammates defending his attitude and leadership in recent years, the kind words haven’t helped Westbrook so far.