This past week saw one of the all-time NBA legends hang up his sneakers for good. Russell Westbrook announced his retirement on Aug. 12. In the league for 18 years, most will remember the future Hall-of-Famer for his 11 seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Westbrook is one of the era-defining stars of the 2010s. Alongside Kevin Durant, he co-starred on OKC's first title contender. The Thunder enjoyed one NBA Finals and four Western Conference Finals trips in their eight years together. In that time, he skyrocketed his way to becoming a basketball pantheon.
Westbrook's resume speaks for itself. He's a one-time MVP winner, nine-time All-Star and nine-time All-NBA member. He also captured two scoring titles and three assist titles. Most remember
the NBA superstar for completely redefining the triple-double.
55 years after Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double for a whole season, Westbrook accomplished the same feat. And then did again. And again. In total, he averaged a triple-double four times in a five-year span. Completely normalizing the once-mythical achievement.
Because of all that, NBA legends — both past and present — have shouted out Westbrook for his legendary career. He's the all-time triple-double leader and still holds OKC's franchise records for career points and assists. For much of the 2010s, he was always in the conversation as a top-five player.
After Westbrook posted his retirement, a fellow future Hall-of-Famer tipped his cap. Giannis Antetokounmpo commented on his Instagram post to show love. The two-time MVP winner is also a generational talent that has dominated the NBA discourse for the past decade. He helped the Milwaukee Bucks win an NBA championship in 2021.
"Incredible career, brother," Antetokounmpo wrote. "You made people around the world feel your presence and love for the game. There are not a lot of people who played harder than you."
Just like Westbrook's 2019 departure, Anteokounmpo left the Bucks on good terms. The 31-year-old spent a ridiculous 13 seasons on the small-market NBA franchise. In that time, he had one of the more improbable developmental paths into all-time greatness. Now, he has a fresh start on the Miami Heat.
Always cool to see Westbrook's all-time peers show their respect for his work. Antetokounmpo is part of the growing list. Even though Westbrook never won a championship ring, that doesn't diminish his part of NBA history and how he influenced the current generation of players.
Giannis Antetokounmpo on Russell Westbrook retiring:
— The HEAT Realm (@WadexFlash) August 12, 2026
“Incredible career, brother. You made people around the world feel your presence and love for the game. There are not a lot of people who played harder than you. 🫡💯”
Game recognizes game. pic.twitter.com/rwTYHl0Xmy
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Giannis Antetokounmpo shows love to Russell Westbrook after NBA retirement
