Russell Westbrook announces NBA retirement
Westbrook received Kings, Wizards offers this off-season
Russell Westbrook has announced his retirement from the NBA after an 18-season career spanning seven teams, bringing an end to one of the most statistically remarkable careers in league history.
The 37-year-old guard announced his decision on social media on Wednesday, accompanied by a video of his career narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan.
"Sometimes you don't even know when you've already watched the end," Westbrook wrote. "You had to be there. And now it's over."
Westbrook had received offers from the Sacramento Kings and Washington Wizards this off-season but chose to retire on his own terms.
Selected fourth overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 2008 NBA Draft, Westbrook never played in Seattle after the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City.
He spent 11 seasons with the Thunder, becoming a cornerstone of the franchise and helping them reach the 2012 NBA Finals alongside Kevin Durant and James Harden.
In 2017, Westbrook became the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1962 to average a triple-double for an entire season, recording 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game to win the NBA MVP award. His 42 triple-doubles that season remain a single-season record.
A nine-time All-Star, Westbrook retires with career averages of 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 8.0 assists. His 209 career triple-doubles are an NBA record.
He also ranks fifth in career assists and 14th in scoring with 27,176 points. In his final season with Sacramento, he averaged 15.2 points, 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds.
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