Russell Westbrook, a former NBA Most Valuable Player, has officially announced his retirement from professional basketball after an 18-season career. The 37-year-old confirmed his decision on Wednesday in an emotional video posted to his social media, which featured narration by actor Michael B. Jordan.
Westbrook, selected fourth overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics before the franchise became the Oklahoma City Thunder, established himself as one of the league's most dynamic point guards.
His most notable individual season came in 2016-17 with the Thunder, where he averaged a triple-double for the entire season, becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1962 to achieve this feat. He recorded a then-record 42 triple-doubles that year, earning him the NBA MVP award.
He went on to average a triple-double for three additional consecutive seasons, twice more with the Thunder and once with the Washington Wizards, solidifying his status as the NBA's all-time leader in triple-doubles.
Throughout his 18-year career, Westbrook amassed numerous accolades, including nine All-Star selections, nine All-NBA team honors, two scoring titles, and three assist titles. He was also named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team and won a Gold Medal with Team USA at the 2012 London Olympics.
Westbrook began his career with 11 seasons in Oklahoma City, followed by stints with the Houston Rockets, Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and Sacramento Kings.
He concludes his career ranked 14th on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 27,176 points, fifth in all-time assists with 10,351, and 14th in steals with 2,038.