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Westbrook announces retirement, caps off legendary NBA career
Russell Westbrook. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Russell Westbrook announces retirement, caps off legendary NBA career

By Mike J. Asti  |  Last updated Aug 12, 2026 3:56 PM ET
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Widely regarded as one of the most entertaining players in history, Russell Westbrook has decided it's time to call it a career. 

Westbrook announced his retirement by posting a video that chronicled the key moments of his complete journey on Wednesday. 

Russell Westbrook announced his retirement after 18 seasons in the NBA

"Sometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end. You had to be there. And now it’s over," said Westbrook as the caption to his post. 

And while his final seasons saw him spend time with the Denver Nuggets and then wrap up his playing days with the Sacramento Kings as a late addition before the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Westbrook's full body of work makes him a lock for the Basketball Hall of Fame. 

Russell Westbrook showed he can still be productive in his final seasons 

Westbrook averaged 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 64 games for the Kings, showing he can still be productive, granted his team was never in contention and finished the season in 14th place in the Western Conference at 22-60.

But even after a polarizing tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers — he dropped below averaging 20 points per game for the first time in 12 years in 2021-22 and then was unceremoniously traded before eventually landing with the rival Clippers the following season —Westbrook was able to revitalize his career and repair his image from that point forward. 

Russell Westbrook will always be known for his time with the Thunder 

And now that he's retiring, Westbrook's time as the face of the Oklahoma City Thunder for over a decade is what basketball fans will remember the nine-time All-Star for.

After being selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the then-Seattle SuperSonics, Westbrook became a star as the franchise moved to Oklahoma City ahead of the 2008-09 season. In 11 seasons with the Thunder, Westbrook recorded averages of 23.0 points, 7.0 boards and 8.4 assists. 

Russell Westbrook became a legend thanks to his triple-doubles 

However, he became a legend for averaging a triple-double in three straight seasons and four overall (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2020-21). Before Westbrook's first such season, Oscar Robertson was the last NBA player to finish a season in double digits for scoring, rebounds and assists. Westbrook also holds the NBA record for all-time triple-doubles with 209 (221 including the playoffs). 

Though Westbrook was never able to experience playing on a championship team in the NBA, or even in college, he did reach the NBA Finals with the Thunder in 2012 and advanced to the Final Four in each of two years at UCLA. The 2017 NBA MVP did earn an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2012. 

Westbrook ends his career with cumulative marks of 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 8.0 assists and a 43.8 percent clip from the field in 18 seasons spent with the Thunder, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets and Kings. 

Mike J. Asti
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Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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