Russell Westbrook Announces Retirement After 18-Year NBA Journey
Point guard Russell Westbrook has declared his retirement, concluding an 18-season career that featured stints with multiple teams and frequent battles against the Golden State Warriors.
Russell Westbrook, drafted out of UCLA in 2008, announced his retirement after an 18-year tenure in the NBA. He began with an eleven-year run in Oklahoma City, where he collected eight All-Star nods, a league MVP and helped the Thunder reach the 2016 Finals. Subsequent stops included Houston, Washington, Los Angeles (both Lakers and Clippers), Denver and Sacramento, with each stint featuring memorable showdowns against the Golden State Warriors.
In 56 regular-season games versus the Warriors, Westbrook compiled a 30-26 record and averaged 20.3 points, 7.6 assists and 7.1 rebounds. The two teams met once in the postseason during the 2016 Western Conference Finals, where he posted a 36-point triple-double. His last game against Golden State occurred in January 2026 while playing for Sacramento, where he logged 13 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
Why it matters
Westbrook's retirement ends a high-profile NBA career that shaped multiple franchises and produced iconic rivalries.
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