When Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder (then Seattle SuperSonics) in back-to-back years, their future looked set. Adding James Harden made it seem like the start of a dynasty.
However, Harden eventually left for the Houston Rockets, while Durant joined the Golden State Warriors, where he won two titles with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson. Now, Westbrook, who remained with the Thunder for 11 seasons, has retired from the NBA, and Durant reflected on that development.
Kevin Durant Surprised by Russell Westbrook’s Retirement, Knows His Time Is Coming
Durant joined the “Boardroom Talks” podcast, and immediately shook his head when the topic of Westbrook was brought up.
“It hit me man, because it’s just like that’s one of the first dudes you come in with and you was around every day to finally step out of this [expletive],” Durant said. “A lot of the guys that have been younger than me or drafted after me have retired, but I wasn’t as close to them as I was to Russ.”
K e v i n D u r a n t pic.twitter.com/GuxuqqbfQP
— Ben Hustle (@BenHustle4) August 27, 2026
Durant was surprised by the decision. “Then it’s somebody I feel like can still play… so it surprised me.”
Westbrook averaged 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game last year, supporting Durant’s view that he could still play. The news also hit Durant personally, since he knows his own career is winding down.
“I’m on deck,” Durant explained. “It’s a young man’s game. Even though I still feel like I can play, you always hear you’re 38, you’re 39, you’re getting up there, so yeah I get that, but I put everything into the game and I’m cool with whatever happens as I move forward.”
Durant learned the news after waking up on a plane without WiFi and reading texts and social media. Westbrook reportedly received overtures to return to the Sacramento Kings or potentially join the Washington Wizards before opting to retire.
Westbrook finished his career in Sacramento, but also spent time with the Wizards, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Denver Nuggets during his 18-year career. He finishes with career averages of 20.9 points, 8.0 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per game.
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“It was one of those things that you can appreciate all the time spent, and then somebody like Russell, who has done a lot off the court too, I want to see what he does next,” Durant said.
Many will likely agree with Durant on that. As for his own plans, KD kept it simple. “I’m going to continue to put everything into the game until I can’t no more.”
