It took a while, but Russell Westbrook finally got the chance to resume his NBA career. Now that he’s on the Sacramento Kings, Westbrook will enter his 18th NBA season. He’s one of four NBA players from his draft class (2008) still active in the league.
At his age and following an offseason full of uncertainty, one would think Westbrook’s time in the NBA would end soon. However, Westbrook himself has other ideas when it comes to the prospect of retirement.
Is Russell Westbrook Thinking of Retiring After This Season With the Sacramento Kings?
While speaking with reporters on Oct. 19, Westbrook was asked about the prospect of retiring. The former MVP gave a brief but blunt two-word response.
“Yeah, right,” Westbrook said, per KCRA-TV’s Sean Cunningham.
Russell Westbrook on the most intriguing aspect about joining the Sacramento Kings: he said it’s the doubt everyone has about the success this team can have.
When asked about his future beyond this year and if this would be the last year: “yeah right.”
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) October 19, 2025
Westbrook will turn 37 next month, putting him in the twilight of his career. He’s not the All-Star he once was and has bounced around quite a bit since 2019. The Kings will be his seventh team in the last six years, and he hasn’t stuck with a team for longer than a season and a half.
Adding in that he didn’t get signed until the season was about to start, all of that would understandably make someone like Westbrook nervous about his NBA future — but he isn’t. In his case, he has good reason to be confident.
It was actually surprising that Westbrook was on the market for as long as he was because, all things considered, he’s coming off a solid season as a rotation player for the Denver Nuggets. While it’s not like the leopard changed his spots, Westbrook has transitioned from being his All-Star self pretty seamlessly.
He played a crucial part in the Nuggets’ playoff run, averaging 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 0.9 steals while shooting 39.1% from the field and 31.7% from 3-point range.
He showed during the postseason that he still has good basketball left in him. There will be questions about his fit with the Kings, especially with Sacramento aiming for a playoff run and Westbrook eager to prove he still belongs in the NBA. Warts and all, there’s a lot to like about this union.
