The Oklahoma City Thunder didn't take long to honor one of their greatest players ever. They have announced that Russell Westbrook will get his No. 0 jersey retired on Sunday, Feb. 7, against the New York Knicks. It will be part of NBC's Sunday Night Basketball slate.
This felt fairly obvious to predict. Westbrook announced his NBA retirement this past offseason. He played a legendary 18 seasons in the league from 2008-26. The first 11 were with the Thunder — which were arguably his best years both on an individual and team level.
Westbrook is one of the era-defining NBA superstars of the 2010s. He completely rewrote what the triple-double accolade meant. He was a one-time MVP winner and perennial All-Star and All-NBA member in his time in OKC.
Alongside Kevin Durant, he co-starred in OKC's first title contender with a handful of deep playoff runs.
Most of the Thunder franchise records still belong to Westbrook. Alongside Durant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, those three are viewed as the biggest superstars in OKC's brief and successful franchise history.
Thunder GM Sam Presti and owner Clay Bennett released statements on Westbrook's upcoming jersey retirement. Here's what both OKC figureheads had to say about the upcoming ceremony:
Sam Presti
"Many players make an impact but only great players leave a legacy. Russell Westbrook’s legacy was built both on the court and in the community. His mindset was relentless, his commitment deep. For all those reasons, Oklahomans consider him one of their own and his number will be raised to the rafters, in Oklahoma City forever."
Clay Bennett
"We are incredibly proud to retire Russell’s number. Russell made a lasting mark on the city and state during his time with the team, and his involvement in the community has endured long after. We are deeply grateful for his genuine care for the people of Oklahoma, and he will always be considered a member of the Oklahoma City community."
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Sam Presti, Clay Bennett react to OKC Thunder retiring Russell Westbrook's No. 0 jersey
