In an announcement that had Gen Z NBA fans across the globe feel their age, Russell Westbrook announced his retirement on Aug. 12. He's the first of an upcoming slate of 2010s NBA superstars whose playing days are either nearing an end or have reached it.
Westbrook played in 18 seasons. Most remember him for his first 11 on the Oklahoma City Thunder. In that time, he turned into one of the NBA's top superstars. When you think of the 2010s era, he's one of the first names that pop into your mind.
Not only did Westbrook co-star on a title contender for a decade, but he was one of the top players at the peak of his powers. The one-time MVP winner was a perennial All-Star in that era. He also completely shattered any mythical air that surrounded a triple-double.
Another NBA superstar you might think of from that time period? Anthony Davis. He's another future Hall-of-Famer who was one of the game's best. The 10-time All-Star enjoyed his best years on the Los Angeles Lakers — where he won his sole ring in the 2020 Bubble. He commented on Westbrook's retirement post to salute him on an epic basketball career.
"My dawg!!!!," Davis commented. "Congrats on the entire journey champ! Legend forever! Yeah 5!!!"
Of course, Westbrook and Davis were briefly teammates on the Lakers for about two seasons from 2021-23. After LeBron James vouched for Los Angeles to go and get him, that era fell flat. It had very little success as an inconsistent team that never truly threatened to grab the NBA crown again.
That said, Westbrook and Davis obviously built a bond in their time together. Or at the very least, an understanding of what it was like to be two of the era-defining NBA superstars in their time. Several former and current NBA legends commented on Westbrook's retirement. Cool to see Davis as one of them — as he tries to get his career back on track with the Washington Wizards this upcoming season.
Westbrook and Davis were two of the best players throughout the 2010s. When the latter joins the former in the post-playing afterlife, he'll also be a no-brainer to make the Basketball Hall of Fame.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Anthony Davis applauds Russell Westbrook on NBA retirement: 'Legend forever!'
