Former Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook is calling it quits.
Westbrook has officially announced his retirement from the NBA. He did so in a social media post. Westbrook played for 18 seasons and was one of the last remaining active members of the Seattle Supersonics. He was drafted there before the team moved to Oklahoma City.
Westbrook spent just over a season with the Lakers. He played 130 games for them as a point guard before he finished the 2022-23 season with the Clippers. He was moved to the bench for most of the 2022-23 season. In all, Westbrook played for seven different teams in the span of his career.
Former Lakers PG Russell Westbrook Announces His Retirement
When the Lakers acquired him before the 2021-22 season, they gave up a significant amount in order to trade for him. Los Angeles traded Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and the 22nd overall pick of the 2021 Draft.
It was a bold win-now move that paired Westbrook with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. That team was expected to compete for a championship just a couple of years after LA won a title in the Orlando Bubble. However, things did not work out that way.
In his only full season with the Lakers, Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists. He shot 44.4 percent from the field and 29.8 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. He also averaged a whopping 3.8 turnovers per game, leading the offense.
Westbrook was never able to fit in with the way the Lakers wanted to play. He was too ball-dominant and wasn’t a good enough outside shooter. While he always played hard, he just wasn’t good enough to help James and Davis break through and win another championship.
The Lakers gave up on Westbrook quickly during the 2022-23 season, only allowing him to start three games. Westbrook ends his career with a lot of accolades, even if Lakers fans aren’t too fond of his time in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Was Never the Right Fit For Russell Westbrook
It was a mistake for GM Rob Pelinka to think that Westbrook would ever fit well in Los Angeles. With the other guys they had on that roster, Westbrook was never going to help the team rise to be a contender. He has the ball too much in his hands, and James and Davis needed a certain number of shots.
As he retires, Westbrook has a lot of accolades. He’s a nine-time All-Star and made the All-NBA team nine times. Westbrook also won the 2017 MVP when he was with the Thunder, when he became the first player in the NBA to average a triple-double for an entire season since Oscar Robertson.
Westbrook will retire after his final season, having played with the Kings. Had Westbrook been able to win a championship, his legacy could have been a big different. Instead, Westbrook will go down as one of the best players in the history of the league to not win a championship.
Westbrook made the NBA Finals one time as a member of the Thunder.
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