Russell Westbrook, a nine-time All-Star and the 2017 NBA MVP, announced his retirement after 18 seasons in a social media video on Wednesday. Westbrook, 37, was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics. He played for seven different franchises and finished his career as the NBA's all-time leader in triple-doubles with 209.
"Sometimes you don't even know when you've already watched the end," Westbrook wrote as the caption to a video narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan, which was posted to his social media channels. "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
Westbrook, a member of the NBA's 75th anniversary team, made nine All-NBA teams (two first-team selections, five second-teams and two third-teams), won two All-Star Game MVPs and two scoring titles and led the league in assists three times. He is one of three players, along with Oscar Robertson and Nikola Jokić, to average a triple-double for an entire season, and did so four times. No one else has done so more than twice.
In 1,301 career games with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings, Westbrook averaged 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 8.0 assists. He is 29th in the all-time scoring list and 18th in assists.
