After a long season with the Sacramento Kings that ended without a new contract and a summer with no offers from other NBA teams, Russell Westbrook has decided to step away from basketball.
Houston fans are no strangers to Westbrook, as he was not only the competition to James Harden for the 2016-2017 MVP and countless playoff battles. However, in summer 2019, Westbrook became one of Houston’s own after the Chris Paul trade in July 2019. Westbrook’s contributions as a Rocket can’t be understated,
according to Matt Young at the Houston Chronicle:
“Westbrook averaged 27.2 points on a career-best 47.2% shooting from the floor to go along with 7.9 rebounds and 7 assists in his one season in Houston. There was a stretch during the 2019-2020 season, from after Christmas Day until the season was halted by the coronavirus pandemic on March 11, that he averaged 31.2 points on 52% shooting.”
Unfortunately, even after the NBA season resumed during the NBA bubble, Westbrook was unable to return, and the Rockets lost in the first round. Every Rockets fan knows what happened next: Harden wanted out, so to try to get him more help, Houston traded Westbrook for John Wall. (0/10, don’t recommend).
While that ended Russ’s career in Houston, he would go on to have many more productive seasons for the Wizards, Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, and Kings. With a career average of 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game, Westbrook—a nine-time All-Star—holds the NBA record for most career triple-doubles with 209, surpassing Oscar Robertson’s long-standing record of 181 in 2021. The record had been in place since 1974. I fondly remember watching Russell not only on the Rockets but also on the Thunder, and it was the 2016-2017 Rockets-Thunder playoff series that got me into the NBA.
Congratulations to Russell on a great, illustrious career, and enjoy retirement. This also brings to close any potential thoughts of Russ coming back to Houston. Ime Udoka may have just been saved from himself.
