Dramatic news in basketball: Why the NBA star will not join Ofer Yanai
After 18 seasons and a historic record in the best league in the world, Russell Westbrook announced his surprise retirement in a mysterious video, putting an end to rumors about a sensational move to Ofer Yanai's team.
Russell Westbrook announced today his retirement from professional basketball, ending at age 37 an extraordinary career that spanned 18 seasons in the NBA. Westbrook chose to announce his decision via a video posted on the X network, with narration provided by actor Michael B. Jordan.
The announcement was made in a manner quite different from the major farewells the basketball world is accustomed to from veteran stars. Instead of a prolonged farewell tour, Westbrook settled for a short and mysterious video, centered on the message:
"Sometimes you don't even know when you've already watched the end."
With this, one of the players most identified with the NBA has effectively closed the central chapter of his career.
Westbrook will be remembered first and foremost for his dominance regarding triple-doubles. In the 2016/17 season, following Kevin Durant's departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, he became the first player since Oscar Robertson to finish an entire season with a triple-double average. Later in his career, he completed the feat three more times, and today he holds the NBA record for career triple-doubles.
That same season also ended with his greatest personal title, when Westbrook was named MVP of the regular season. Throughout his career, he was selected nine times for the All-Star game, won the All-Star game MVP title twice, led the league twice in points and three times in assists, and was selected nine times to the All-NBA teams.
He began his path in the league in 2008, when he was selected fourth in the draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, which later became the Oklahoma City Thunder. There, he quickly became one of the club's symbols, alongside Kevin Durant and James Harden, and even reached the NBA Finals with the team in 2012.
Later, Westbrook played for the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and finally the Sacramento Kings. Over the last few years, he was required to adapt his style and role, including a move to a more significant role off the bench, but continued to bring the energy and intensity that made him one of the players most identified with the league.
At the end of his career, Westbrook recorded averages of 20.9 points, 8 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per game over 1,301 games. He retires while also ranking fifth in league history in assists and 14th in points.
Thus, after almost two decades of basketball at maximum intensity, one of the most athletic and competitive point guards in NBA history hangs up his sneakers, leaving behind a legacy that will be difficult to replicate.
