Aug. 21, 2026, 3:01 p.m. CT
It hasn’t taken long for Russell Westbrook to miss the daily grind of being an NBA player. The future Hall-of-Famer announced his retirement on Aug. 12. After 18 legendary seasons that saw him be one of the era-defining NBA superstars of the 2010s, he called it a career.
A little over a week later, you can tell Westbrook is already missing spending his summers getting ready for the upcoming regular season marathon. A couple of social media moments have popped up that showed his quickly-developed nostalgia for his playing days. Not to suggest he has any regrets about his decision — after all, his whole motto is living life with zero regrets — but there are hints of sadness you could dissect.
The first involved one of Westbrook’s basketball camps. His ‘Why Not?’ Foundation holds basketball camps for children every summer. At a recent one, a camper asked the one-time MVP winner and the all-time triple-double leader if he’s really an NBA player.
Westbrook’s response? “Some days. I used to be back in the day. Back in my young days.”
Ouch. That hurts to hear. Especially if you’re an Oklahoma City Thunder fan. After all, Westbrook enjoyed his best years there as he spent his first 11 seasons on the title contender. In that time, he skyrocketed from an unpopular lottery pick to one of the flashiest NBA superstars of his era. The individual accolades filled his trophy case to the brim. And alongside Kevin Durant, they enjoyed several deep playoff runs throughout the decade.
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Another recent social media moment that invoked Westbrook’s fondness for the peak of his basketball powers occurred on his Instagram. He posted a TikTok self-tribute video about his time in OKC on his story. In the edit, the social media user — who’s likely a Westbrook stan — glued together some of his best moments on the Thunder.
When an NBA pantheon like Westbrook hangs up his sneakers for good, the entire sports world reacts. You’ve seen that over the last week. Both former and current basketball legends have offered their best wishes as he ventures into the post-playing unknown. The final step that awaits is his inevitable Hall of Fame enshrinement three summers from now.