Not long will pass before the Oklahoma City Thunder pay tribute to Russell Westbrook. The 2017 MVP announced this summer his retirement and now he knows that it will be February 7 when he will see his jersey raised to the top of the OKC arena, as the franchise itself announced.
‘Russ’ was selected fourth overall in the 2008 draft, coinciding precisely with the moment the team officially began to be called the ‘Thunder’ after relocating from Seattle. That is why Oklahoma’s history is so closely tied to the California point guard, as he and Kevin Durant formed a spectacular team that reached the Finals in 2012 before falling to the Miami Heat.
In terms of Westbrook personally, his career was marked by becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double over a season, achieving this with 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game, which earned him the MVP award for the 2016-17 season.
“Many players make an impact, but only the great players leave a legacy. Russell Westbrook’s legacy was built both on the court and in the community. His mindset was relentless and his commitment, deep. For all these reasons, the people of Oklahoma consider him one of their own. His number will be raised high in the arena, where it will remain forever in Oklahoma City,” says Sam Presti, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Thunder.
The Final Stretch of Westbrook’s Career
Before the start of the 2019-20 season, the Thunder traded Westbrook to the Houston Rockets. That move was part of a restructuring in which the team ended the Westbrook-Paul George pairing, laying the groundwork for the successful era the franchise is currently enjoying.
Since then, ‘Russ,’ who was selected nine times for the All-Star Game and was part of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team in 2021, has also played for the Washington Wizards, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Denver Nuggets, and the Sacramento Kings.
