Russell Westbrook announces retirement after 18 seasons

The No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Westbrook spent his first 11 seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder before beginning a winding second act that included stops with the Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets and Kings.

His résumé is going to make for quite an introduction when the Hall of Fame comes calling.

Westbrook was the NBA’s MVP in 2017, made nine All-Star teams and nine All-NBA teams, won two scoring titles and led the league in assists three times. He also won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2012 and was selected to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.

Then there are the triple-doubles.

Westbrook became the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1962 to average a triple-double for an entire season when he did it during his MVP campaign. Then he went out and averaged one three more times.

He finishes his career with an NBA-record 209 triple-doubles.

Westbrook also walks away 14th on the league’s all-time scoring list with 27,176 points and fifth in assists with 10,351.

He never won the championship that eluded him throughout his career. Westbrook reached the NBA Finals alongside Kevin Durant and James Harden with Oklahoma City in 2012 and made three other trips to the Western Conference finals.

His final season came with Sacramento, where he remained a productive player at 37 years old. Westbrook averaged 15.2 points, 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds in 64 games, starting 58 of them.

The Kings reportedly had interest in bringing him back as a veteran mentor for rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr., although it would’ve meant accepting a smaller role.

Instead, Westbrook decided this was where the ride ended.

There were better shooters. There were more efficient scorers. There were players who won more championships.

But there was only one Russell Westbrook.

And if you watched him at his absolute peak, you probably know exactly what he meant.

You had to be there.