Russell Westbrook's Legacy Cemented As Oklahoma City Thunder Retire No. 0 Jersey

Russell Westbrook set to receive a historic tribute from the Thunder.© Instagram/ russwest44

Russell Westbrook's jersey is going into the rafters. The Oklahoma City Thunder will retire No. 0 on Feb. 7, 2027, and the team broke the news with a hype video. The nine-time All-Star played 11 of his 18 NBA seasons in the city, then left in a trade and passed through six more teams before retiring this offseason. Only Nick Collison has received the same honor for time spent solely in Oklahoma City. Now Westbrook joins him, with a date already on the calendar.

Russell Westbrook Gets A Jersey Retirement Night In Oklahoma City

The ceremony will take place at the team's home arena, where No. 0 will be raised to the rafters. Collison's No. 4 came first. Nobody else has joined him until now, which makes this a short list.

General manager Sam Presti, who also serves as executive vice president, put the franchise's view into a statement.

“Many players have an impact, but only great players leave a legacy. Westbrook's legacy was built both on and off the court and within the community,” Presti said.

He tied the honor to more than games. Presti described a bond between the guard and the state that went past the box score.

“Thanks to his relentless mindset and deep dedication, the people of Oklahoma consider him family. His jersey will hang in Oklahoma City forever,” Presti said.

How The Triple-Double Seasons Built The Case

The story starts with the 2008 draft, when Oklahoma City took Westbrook in the first round. Kevin Durant was already on the roster, and together they pushed a young team into the top tier of the league. Then Durant left as a free agent after the 2015-16 season. Westbrook, suddenly the centerpiece, put together one of the most unusual seasons the NBA has seen.

In 2016-17, he averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game. Oscar Robertson was the last player to average a triple-double across a full year. Westbrook matched the feat, won MVP, and kept the pace for three straight seasons, a run that reached into the final two years in Oklahoma City.

The split came before the 2019-20 season. The Thunder traded him to Houston to begin a rebuild. Washington, both Los Angeles teams, Denver and Sacramento followed, and the All-Star selections piled up along the way. The league placed him on its 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. This offseason, he retired.