Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) gestures against the LA Clippers during the second half at Intuit Dome.
Mar 14, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) gestures against the LA Clippers during the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
NBA

‘One Of the Best Players Ever,’ ‘My Heart Is Heavy’ – Russell Westbrook’s Retirement Announcement Leaves NBA World In Despair

Russell Westbrook's retirement announcement has left the NBA world with a heavy heart. What else are they saying about the future Hall of Famer?

How does the NBA world say goodbye to an icon? On Wednesday, Russell Westbrook announced that he’s retiring from the NBA after 18 memorable seasons. Westbrook announced it by sharing a 3:29 video clip on X.

Shortly after Westbrook revealed his surprise decision, a bevy of reactions poured in on social media. Mostly, fans are having a hard time accepting that they’ll no longer be able to watch ‘Mr. Triple Double’ captivate the audience.

NBA World Sad to See Russell Westbrook Retire

It felt like Westbrook accomplished everything since becoming the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. He was a nine-time All-Star and All-NBA selection; he’d won MVP. He was also a two-time scoring champion and led the NBA in assists on three different occasions, showing that he’s far from a one-trick pony.

While he was never able to win a championship, there’s no debate that he’ll be a future member of the James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. After all, Basketball Reference places Westbrook’s HOF chances at 99.9%.

But now that he’s gone, the NBA world is mostly just sad to see him go. The Polymarket Hoops account said, “You deserved better twin,” while posting a gif of Will Ferrell trying and failing to drink some wine.

Another basketball account said, “Enjoy retirement Mr Triple Double.” No one has recorded more triple-doubles in the NBA than Westbrook, who has 209. Though Denver’s Nikola Jokić isn’t far behind with 198.

Meanwhile, one commenter was quick to call Westbrook one of the five best point guards in NBA history.

“My heart is heavy. Truly one of the greatest motors in NBA history. Never had to question if he’ll bring his best energy every night on the court. This is sickening 😓 top 5 PG ever.”

Another was quick to hype up Westbrook as the future Hall of Famer that he is, or will be.

“wow man what a career. first ballot HOF. california legend. salute to one of the greatest guards in nba history.”

One commenter simply thanked Westbrook for his contributions to the game, while calling him “one of the best ever.”

“One of the best players ever! Thank you Brodie ❤️”

Ashley Nicole Moss of CBS Sports agreed, calling Westbrook “one of the greatest to do it.”

“one of the greatest to do it 🥹”

Another commenter reflected on what Westbrook was at his peak: an incredibly gifted player who oozed athleticism.

“Wow, truly the end of an era. One of the most athletic players I’ll ever watch. First ballot Hall of Famer.”

While Westbrook had been linked to teams such as the Miami Heat, those rumors never materialized. So, despite averaging 29 minutes across 58 starts and 64 appearances with the Sacramento Kings last season, Westbrook says he’s done playing in the NBA.

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Westbrook ends his career with averages of 20.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 8.0 APG. All of those numbers would be respectable on their own, but added up together? It’s not hard to see why so many aren’t ready to see Westbrook say goodbye quite yet.

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Andrew Buller-Russ
Written by Andrew Buller-Russ

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