After 18 years in the NBA, it’s over: Russell Westbrook is retiring. The former MVP goes down in history as the all-time leader in triple-doubles.
An extraordinary career in recent NBA history has come to an end. Russell Westbrook announced his retirement on Wednesday evening. The 37-year-old is bidding farewell to the NBA after 18 seasons.
Westbrook announced his retirement with a video on social media narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan. The point guard played his final season in 2025–26 for the Sacramento Kings. There, the former MVP once again demonstrated his skills even at an advanced age for basketball, averaging 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds in 64 games.
Sometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end.
You had to be there. And now it’s over. pic.twitter.com/6YoOW8WyIV
— Russell Westbrook (@russwest44) August 12, 2026
Westbrook made NBA history with his triple-doubles
Westbrook spent his most influential years with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Drafted fourth overall in 2008, he developed into one of the league’s most spectacular guards alongside Kevin Durant. In 2012, the duo, along with James Harden, reached the NBA Finals but lost to the Miami Heat. After Durant’s departure in 2016, Westbrook definitively took center stage for the franchise.
With a total of 209 triple-doubles in the regular season, Westbrook ends his career as the NBA’s all-time leader in that category. He also earned nine All-Star nominations and nine All-NBA Team selections. His career averages of 20.9 points, 8.0 assists, and 6.9 rebounds over 1,301 games highlight the guard’s versatility.
