Russell Westbrook retires after 18 NBA seasons
Former NBA star Russell Westbrook announced his retirement, ending an 18-year career that included a MVP award and the all-time record for triple-doubles.
Russell Westbrook confirmed his retirement on social media Wednesday, concluding an 18-season NBA career that spanned seven teams. The former No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 draft said, "Sometimes you don't even know when you've already watched the end. You had to be there. And now it's over."
Westbrook, a nine-time All-Star, finished his final season with the Sacramento Kings, averaging 15.2 points, 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds over 58 starts. He ends his career as the league's all-time leader in triple-doubles with 209, surpassing Oscar Robertson, and joins LeBron James as the only players with at least 25,000 points and 10,000 assists. He ranks fifth in NBA history for career assists and 14th in scoring with 27,176 points.
The point guard began his professional journey with the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he spent 11 seasons and earned the 2016 MVP after becoming the first player since 1962 to average a triple-double for a full season. He later played for the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and the Kings.
Sources said Westbrook had received offers from the Kings and Washington Wizards this offseason but chose to retire on his own terms. His agent Jeff Schwartz commented on the broader market for veteran players, noting, "Incredible, the Lakers sell for $12 [billion], yet teams won't spend on older vets because of current CBA rules. Thank you, Union."