Russell Westbrook announces NBA retirement after 18 seasons

BREAKING: Russell Westbrook announces his retirement from the NBA after 18 seasons, ending the career of a former MVP and the league's all-time leader in triple-doubles.

Russell Westbrook is done. Eighteen seasons, and he called it in a video, not a press conference.

The man retires as the triple-double king, 209 of them, nobody close. There he is, still hooping at 37, still built like he was mad at gravity. In 2017 he averaged a triple-double over a full season and won MVP, the first man to do it since Oscar Robertson in 1962. Fifth all time in assists, nine All-Star games, an Olympic gold from London.

He was drafted fourth by Seattle in 2008, then the franchise moved and he spent eleven years making Oklahoma City matter, running with Kevin Durant to the 2012 Finals. Thunder GM Sam Presti called him the ultimate competitor, and honestly, nobody's arguing.

Seven franchises, 1,301 games, and not one night where he coasted. The rings never came. The effort never left. That's the career.

This is Dave King, reporting for HIT.

Source Read the original reporting at aljazeera.com