Westbrook Retires

[Donoghus]

A polarizing player for sure but had a helluva career.

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
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3m
After 18 NBA seasons, Russell Westbrook has retired. A legendary career: NBA?s top 75, 2017 league MVP, nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, USA Olympic Gold Medalist and the all-time record for triple-doubles.

[Birdman]

First ballot HOF?

[Donoghus]

First ballot HOF?

Absolutely.

[Vermont Green]

Only three players in NBA history have averaged a triple-double for an entire regular season: Oscar Robertson, Russell Westbrook, and Nikola Jokić. 

Westbrook accomplished the feat four times?first in 2016?17 (winning MVP with 31.6 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 10.4 APG), and again in 2017?18, 2018?19, and 2020?21 with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Washington Wizards.

Yes, triple doubles involve some level of stat padding, but it is still an amazing feat to average it for a season, much less 4 seasons, 3 in a row.  Oscar Robinson did it once and Jokic twice, although Jokic may not be done.  I think it will be a while before we see someone match Westbrook.

[mef730]

Maybe if the Celtics act fast, they can still trade for him.

[A Future of Stevens]

I still enjoy watching his dunk highlights sometimes. The intersection of power and verticality was unmatched by any PGs

[Who]

Is he a top 10 PG all-time?

* MVP winner -- other PGs to win an MVP are Magic (3), Steph (2), Cousy, Oscar, Nash (2), D-Rose. So 1 of 7 PGs to win MVP all time.
* Top 75 all time

* averaged a triple double 4 times.
* one of a few PGs to average 30+ppg
* career 27,000+ points 10,000+ assists 9,000+ rebounds 2,000+ steals
* best rebounding PG of all time. Go even further, he is the best rebounding guard (PGs & SGs) of all time.

* 1 trip to the Finals in 2012, runners up
* 3 trips to Conference Finals = 2011, 2012, 2016

* 4 top 5 MVP finishes. Not a one hit wonder.
* His All-NBA accolades are light. Only 2 first team selections. He does have 4 2nd team selections though. So 6 combined. That is pretty good. Plus 2 for the 3rd team.
* 9 time all-star
* 2 All-Star MVPs

* 1 scoring title
* 3 assist titles

An impressive resume.

[snively]

I think he and Harden are both tainted by how much of a gulf there was between their historical statistical dominance and their on court impact.  Not that he wasn't an excellent player but that he wasn't the cheat code his stats suggested.