Russell Westbrook’s NBA Triple-Double Record May Not Last Long

Aug 14, 2026 05:15 AM - 2 hours ago 1

As a freshman astatine UCLA successful the 2006-07 season, Russell Westbrook averaged 3.4 points and less than 1 rebound and 1 assistance successful 9 minutes per game. Back then, nary 1 could person predicted what was to come, arsenic Westbrook emerged arsenic 1 of the champion players successful the NBA and a shoo-in Hall of Famer.

On Wednesday, Westbrook announced his retirement, 3 months awkward of his 38th birthday. Although Westbrook didn’t triumph a championship, he made 9 All-NBA teams, won the Most Valuable Player grant successful 2017 and finished arsenic the all-time leader pinch 209 triple-doubles, a grounds that erstwhile seemed would ne'er beryllium broken.

Oscar Robertson, a Hall of Fame guard, held the triple-doubles grounds for much than 45 years earlier Westbrook surpassed him successful May 2021. Westbrook’s mark, though, whitethorn not past overmuch longer, arsenic Denver Nuggets halfway Nikola Jokic has 198 triple-doubles. Jokic has averaged a triple-double successful each of the past 2 seasons, truthful he should surpass Westbrook this play arsenic agelong arsenic he stays healthy.

Still, that is not to diminish what Westbrook accomplished. During the 2016-17 season, Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game, becoming the first subordinate since Robertson successful the 1961-62 play to mean a triple-double. Westbrook averaged a triple-double 3 much times successful his career, too. He joins Robertson and Jokic arsenic the only players to mean a triple-double successful a season.

Early successful his career, Westbrook played alongside chap early Hall of Famers Kevin Durant and James Harden pinch the Oklahoma City Thunder. The trio led the Thunder to the NBA Finals successful 2012, wherever they mislaid to the Miami Heat successful 5 games. The early looked bright, arsenic Harden was 22 years old, while Westbrook and Durant were each 23. But that October, the Thunder traded Harden to the Houston Rockets.

OKC vanished first successful its section successful 3 of the adjacent 4 seasons and made the Western Conference finals twice, but the Thunder didn’t make it backmost to convention finals. In July 2016, Durant signed arsenic a free supplier pinch the Golden State Warriors. Three years later, the Thunder traded Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul, 2 first information draught picks and 2 prime swaps, moving connected from a franchise legend.

Westbrook made 3rd squad All-NBA pinch the Rockets, wherever he reunited pinch Harden. But he only lasted 1 play successful Houston, arsenic the squad traded him to the Washington Wizards. Westbrook was later dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers and signed deals pinch the Los Angeles Clippers, Nuggets and Sacramento Kings.

Since leaving the Thunder, Westbrook became much of a domiciled player, finishing successful the apical 10 of the sixth man of the twelvemonth voting successful the 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. But he won only 2 playoff bid successful the past decade.

Westbrook spent past play pinch the Kings, averaging 15.2 points, 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds per crippled and starting successful 58 of the 64 games he played. The Kings and Wizards offered him contracts recently, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Instead, Westbrook chose to retire.

Westbrook vanished his NBA profession pinch 27,176 points, much than immoderate constituent defender successful convention history and 14th all-time among each players. He was besides 5th all-time pinch 10,351 profession assists and 24th pinch 1,301 regular play games played.

Although he ne'er won a title and played for six franchises since 2020, Westbrook leaves arsenic among the astir relentless and accomplished guards ever. Twenty years aft hardly playing successful college, he is definite to beryllium inducted into the Hall of Fame, his bequest unafraid for generations to come.