Russell Westbrook retires from the NBA as only the second player in history to have achieved this incredible feat.
One of the most iconic players in modern NBA history has announced a surprise retirement in characteristically iconic manner, in the form of Russell Westbrook. The triple-double machine made the big announcement via an extremely poignant video narrated by none other than actor Michael B. Jordan.
And well, Russ leaves after an illustrious 18 years in the biggest basketball league in the world, and retires as only the second player in NBA history to score 25,000 points and record 10,000 assists, alongside none other than LeBron James. The clip starts off with Westbrook walking around a room filled with his trophies and individual accolades, with Jordan narrating his story right from the start.
Russell Westbrook and LeBron James are the only players in NBA history with 25,000 points and 10,000 assists in their careers
(via @statmuse) pic.twitter.com/BXVksgsAB0
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 12, 2026
“Sometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end. You had to be there. And now it’s over,” Westbrook wrote.
The now 37-year-old joined the NBA as the Seattle Supersonics’ fourth pick of the 2008 draft, and over the next few years evolved into one of the most athletic guards the league had ever seen. He won the 2016-17 NBA MVP Award, becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1962 to average a triple-double over an entire season, posting 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game.
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
What made it even more remarkable was that he didn’t stop there. and went on to average a triple-double in four different seasons, something no player had ever done before. He finishes with the highest triple-doubles in league history (209), surpassing Robertson’s longstanding record (181) back in 2021.
While the chase for a championship eventually took him to seven different teams with no success, Westbrook leaves behind a lasting legacy that will undoubtedly inspire future players to generations to come. And as the clip pointed out, he leaves the sport on his own terms, remaining a high-impact player right until his final season in the NBA.
One of the most iconic players in modern NBA history has announced a surprise retirement in characteristically iconic manner, in the form of Russell Westbrook. The triple-double machine made the big announcement via an extremely poignant video narrated by none other than actor Michael B. Jordan.