Russell Westbrook Retires: Top 5 Moments of the NBA’s Triple-Double Leader

On Wednesday, nine-time All-Star and 2017 NBA MVP Russell Westbrook announced his retirement from professional basketball after an illustrious 18-year run, sharing the news via a social media video. At 37 years old, the former No. 4 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics concludes his career representing seven different franchises and holding the NBA’s all-time record for triple-doubles with 209.

“Sometimes the end sneaks up on you before you even realize you’re watching it,” Westbrook captioned the video, which featured narration from actor Michael B. Jordan across his social media platforms. “You simply had to be there. And now, the journey is complete.”

Named to the NBA’s prestigious 75th Anniversary Team, Westbrook earned nine All-NBA selections (consisting of two first-team, five second-team, and two third-team honors), claimed two All-Star Game MVP awards, secured two scoring titles, and led the association in assists on three occasions. He stands as one of only three players—alongside Oscar Robertson and Nikola Jokić—to average a triple-double across a full season, achieving the feat four times, whereas no other player has managed it more than twice.

Spanning 1,301 regular-season contests with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and Sacramento Kings, Westbrook posted lifetime averages of 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 8.0 assists.

A shoo-in for the Hall of Fame, Westbrook ranks 14th in NBA history with 27,176 career points and fifth in assists with 10,351, making him one of only two players (the other being LeBron James) to eclipse both 25,000 points and 10,000 assists in a career.

NBA’s all-time assist leaders

Westbrook steered Thunder to Finals alongside Durant and Harden

Early on, Westbrook teamed up with Kevin Durant and James Harden to transform the Thunder—who relocated from Seattle to Oklahoma City just before his rookie campaign—into one of basketball’s most electrifying young rosters. This core reached the Western Conference Finals in 2011 and advanced to the NBA Finals in 2012, when Durant and Westbrook were only 23 and Harden was 22. Despite falling to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and the Miami Heat, it seemed inevitable that Oklahoma City would eventually secure a championship.

However, a combination of physical setbacks, internal friction, budget-conscious ownership, and the dominance of the Golden State Warriors kept the Thunder from ever returning to the grandest stage. Harden was dealt shortly after the 2012 Finals, and the team’s promising 2013 run evaporated when Westbrook suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opening round of the postseason, sparked by Patrick Beverley’s dive for a loose ball as Westbrook attempted to call a timeout.

That injury required multiple off-season operations and another mid-season procedure, sidelining Westbrook for all but 46 games in 2013-14. Nevertheless, he made a postseason comeback to help push OKC to the Western Conference Finals, where they eventually fell to the San Antonio Spurs.

Injuries continued to plague them in 2015, as both Westbrook (fractured hand) and Durant (fractured foot) missed significant stretches, causing the Thunder to miss the postseason entirely. A return to the Finals seemed locked in during the 2016 Western Conference Finals when Oklahoma City built a 3-1 series lead over the Warriors. However, they collapsed, partly because Westbrook shot just 28-of-76 (36.8%) over the final three contests, including a 10-of-27 performance in Game 6 at home, where a 13-point lead was squandered.

Durant’s departure for the Warriors in free agency during the summer of 2016 set the stage for Westbrook’s legendary 2017 MVP season and his remarkable run of three consecutive seasons averaging a triple-double. Yet, losing Durant permanently derailed the Thunder’s status as title contenders. By 2019, Westbrook’s tenure in Oklahoma City also ended when he was traded to the Rockets, uniting once more with Harden.

This trade marked the transition to the veteran stage of Westbrook’s career. Although he still put up impressive numbers, his play didn’t translate to consistent team success, resulting in frequent roster movements. He suited up for six different organizations over his final seven seasons, spending more than 100 games with only one franchise: the Lakers.

In international competition, Westbrook secured gold medals representing Team USA at the 2010 FIBA World Championship (now known as the World Cup) and the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Russell Westbrook’s top five NBA moments

5. Breaking the all-time triple-double record

By the 2020-21 season, Westbrook was playing for the Washington Wizards and single-handedly propelled the franchise into the postseason—their sole playoff appearance since 2018—by averaging a triple-double for the fourth time in his career, a milestone that may stand forever. Toward the end of the season, he recorded 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 21 assists to surpass Oscar Robertson’s long-standing record of 182 triple-doubles.

This monumental achievement occurred during a road matchup against the Atlanta Hawks in the midst of the pandemic-altered season, with only 3,054 fans in attendance. Despite the sparse crowd, the quiet setting did nothing to diminish the historic nature of Westbrook’s feat.

4. The 57-point triple-double

Near the end of his 2016-17 MVP run, Westbrook put on a masterclass against the Orlando Magic, registering a 57-point triple-double to secure an overtime win for the Thunder. He shot 21-of-40 from the floor, adding 13 assists and 11 rebounds in what stood at the time as the highest-scoring triple-double performance in league history.

In a twist of fate, Westbrook’s scoring record for a triple-double was broken just a year later by none other than Harden, his former and future teammate.

Highest-scoring triple-doubles in NBA history

3. Denver buzzer-beater seals record-breaking triple-double

Just weeks after his 57-point outburst, Westbrook delivered the defining moment of his MVP bid. Playing in Denver, he guided the Thunder back from a 14-point deficit to secure a thrilling victory with a deep, buzzer-beating 3-pointer. His stat line of 50 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists marked his third 50-point triple-double and his 42nd triple-double of the season, both of which remain NBA single-season records.

2. The legendary 20-20-20 performance

In the closing moments of a late-April matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019, Westbrook etched his name further into NBA lore. By pulling down his 20th rebound of the night, he joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in league history to post a 20-point, 20-rebound, and 20-assist game (a club that Nikola Jokić has also since entered).

Westbrook completed the historic game with 20 points, 20 boards, and 21 assists in one of his final appearances in a Thunder uniform before being sent to Houston that off-season.

1. Westbrook claims the MVP award

Following several disappointing postseason exits, Durant made the controversial decision to leave Oklahoma City for Golden State in 2016. This left Westbrook in sole control of the franchise, leading to one of the most remarkable individual campaigns of all time. He averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists, matching Oscar Robertson as the only players to average a triple-double for a season (Jokić later joined them as the third). His heroic efforts carried the Thunder to 47 victories and a playoff berth.

In a fiercely debated MVP race, he edged out Harden and Kawhi Leonard to claim the league’s top individual honor for the only time in his career.

Later that summer, Westbrook gave a highly emotional acceptance speech at the NBA Awards ceremony.

“I want to express my gratitude to all the fans around the globe who have backed me throughout my journey,” Westbrook expressed. “I want to say a special thank you to the fans in Oklahoma City. You have stood by my side from day one, supporting me through both the highs and the lows, and always keeping my spirits high.”

When his speech turned to his family and the immense support they provided throughout his basketball career, the superstar struggled to hold back his tears.

“They have given up so much of their own lives and time to ensure that I had everything required to succeed and perform at the highest level every single night,” Westbrook shared. “Keeping your family united is what matters most to me, and they are the ones who keep me grounded.”