August usually doesn’t provide much NBA news, as it’s a month after free agency begins and a month before training camps open. However, Russell Westbrook stole headlines on Wednesday when he announced his retirement after 18 seasons across seven different teams.
The 37-year-old spent last year with the Sacramento Kings and had offers from both Sacramento and the Washington Wizards to suit up this season. However, he is choosing to walk away, just three days before the 2026 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which is fitting as Westbrook is sure to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Below are just a few reasons why he had one of the greatest careers in NBA history.
Mr. Triple-Double
The all-time leader in triple-doubles, Westbrook racked up an astounding 209 of them in his regular season career. That is the most in NBA history, ahead of Nikola Jokic (198) and Oscar Robertson (181), and he led the league in trip-dubs six seasons in his career. Westbrook averaged a triple-double in four different seasons, which is one more than every other player in NBA history combined, as the only others to do so are Robertson (once) and Jokic (twice).
Jokic, Westbrook’s former Denver teammate, may soon overtake him in career triple-doubles—Joker is just 12 short of Westbrook’s mark. But Westbrook’s record of 42 triple-doubles in the 2016-17 season has no peers in sight.
Well-Traveled
While Westbrook spent the bulk of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder (11 seasons), he also suited up for six other squads. He spent two seasons with both the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers, plus one year each with the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, and Sacramento Kings. That’s seven total teams, and it’s nearly unprecedented for a Hall of Fame player to don that many jerseys.
Of the nearly 500 members of the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame, only Vince Carter (eight) played for more teams than Westbrook. The longtime Thunder guard will join fellow seven-team HOFers in Moses Malone, Adrian Dantley, Chauncey Billups, Dwight Howard, and Bob McAdoo.
A 2-Man Class
Three times during his career Westbrook led the NBA in assists. Twice he led the league in scoring. Being a league leader in both scoring and distributing is, obviously, impressive, but being multi-time leaders in both points and assists is iconic.
LeBron James, Steph Curry, Robertson, and Jokic are among the players who have not led the NBA in both scoring and assists multiple times. Just one other player has done so, and it’s his former Thunder/Rockets teammate James Harden, who was a three-time scoring champ and a two-time assists leader.
Speaking of a Class of Two
A nine-time All-Star, Westbrook was the Star of Stars twice in his career, being named the All-Star Game MVP in both 2015 and 2016. While he’s one of 15 players to win the award twice, he’s one of just two players to win it in back-to-back years. The other is Bob Pettit, who was the outright All-Star Game MVP in 1958 and then was a co-MVP, alongside Elgin Baylor, in 1959. Thus, Westbrook is the only person to be the outright All-Star Game MVP in consecutive years.
Going Out With a Bang
Westbrook’s final NBA season with the Kings last year was nondescript as he finished his career on a 22–60 team. But the season in Sacramento did allow him to hit a couple of milestones and break an NBA record. Last year, Westbrook joined the 10,000-assist club, becoming the eighth member, and he also passed Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Mark Jackson, and Steve Nash on the all-time assists list, finishing his career ranked fifth.
From a scoring standpoint, Westbrook entered the 2025-26 season ranking 23rd in career points but now finishes his career 14th on the all-time list. Among the greats he passed in points last season were Tim Duncan, Paul Pierce, and Dominique Wilkins.
However, the most noteworthy accomplishment from Westbrook’s final season was his work on the boards. Last year he passed Jason Kidd to become the all-time leader in rebounds by a guard—any guard, not just point guards. He’s the only guard to ever reach the 9,000-rebound mark, which is more than several of the greatest big men to ever play the game. Westbrook finishes his career with more rebounds than the likes of Alonzo Mourning, Chris Bosh, Willis Reed and Chris Webber.
Looking Ahead
Westbrook will first become eligible for induction into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 2029, as will any other player who last played in the 2025-26 season. That means Chris Paul will also be eligible come 2029, as will six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry, after both also saw their final seasons come last year.
Thus, the Hall of Fame Class of 2029 should have no shortage of ball handlers with all of the point guards up for induction as Westbrook’s basketball journey, which began in Los Angeles, where he was born, and saw him spend over a decade in Oklahoma City, will have its final stop in Springfield, Mass.
