​Photo by Dennis LeeAfter 18 unforgettable seasons, Russell Westbrook has officially retired from the NBA.On August 12, 2026, the nine time All Star and former NBA MVP announced that he was stepping away from professional basketball at age 37. His retirement brings an end to one of the most explosive, emotional, and statistically remarkable careers the NBA has ever seen.Westbrook leaves the game as the NBA’s all time leader in triple-doubles, finishing his career with 209. He also ranks among the league’s all time leaders in assists and scoring, finishing with 10,351 assists and 27,176 points.But Westbrook’s legacy cannot be measured by statistics alone.From UCLA to Oklahoma CityWestbrook entered the NBA in 2008 after being selected fourth overall by the Seattle SuperSonics, who relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder shortly afterward.In Oklahoma City, Westbrook quickly became one of the league’s most exciting young players. Playing alongside Kevin Durant and, for a time, James Harden, he helped transform the Thunder into one of the NBA’s most dangerous teams.The young Thunder reached the NBA Finals in 2012, where they faced the Miami Heat. Although Oklahoma City ultimately fell short, the experience established Westbrook as a superstar and a player capable of competing on basketball’s biggest stage.Over the next several years, Westbrook developed from an athletic guard into one of the most complete offensive players in basketball.The 2016-17 Season That Changed EverythingIf there is one season that defines Russell Westbrook’s career, it is the 2016-17 season.After Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City in free agency, many wondered whether Westbrook could carry the Thunder by himself. He answered those questions in spectacular fashion.Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game, becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double over an entire season.He recorded 42 triple-doubles, breaking Robertson’s single-season record of 41.At the end of the season, Westbrook was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player.That MVP season cemented his place among the game’s greatest individual performers.The Triple Double EraFor years, the triple-double was considered one of basketball’s rarest statistical achievements.Westbrook turned it into something that seemed almost routine.He eventually surpassed Oscar Robertson’s career triple double record of 181 in 2021. He continued adding to the record throughout the remainder of his career, ultimately finishing with 209.He also became the first player in NBA history to reach 200 career triple doubles.And while players such as Nikola Jokić have challenged his record in recent years, Westbrook’s accomplishments remain extraordinary.His combination of scoring, rebounding and playmaking was unlike anything the NBA had seen from a guard before.More Than NumbersWestbrook’s career is ultimately about much more than triple doubles.He played the