Kevin Durant didn’t expect Russell Westbrook to walk away from basketball just yet after he announced his retirement this offseason. Despite reportedly receiving interest from the Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings, Westbrook ended a legendary career that will forever be linked with Durant’s.
For Durant, seeing one of his closest former teammates retire hit differently.
“It just hit me, man, that’s one of the first dudes you come in with and you were around every day to finally step out,” Durant said on Boardroom Talks. “A lot of guys that have been younger than me or drafted after me have retired, but I wasn’t as close to them as I was to Russell. And it’s somebody I feel like could still play. It surprised me. It’s one of those things that you can appreciate all the time spent, and somebody like Russell is doing a lot off the court too. I want to see what he does next.”
Westbrook reportedly had opportunities to continue playing during the 2026-27 season, but ultimately decided it was time to step away.
Durant believes his former teammate still had something to offer an NBA team, particularly as an experienced voice inside the locker room.
“It was shocking. Like I said, I thought he could still play,” Durant said. “I feel like he would have been a good veteran presence in the locker room.”
The pair spent eight seasons together with the Thunder after Westbrook arrived as a rookie in 2008, one year after Durant entered the league.
Together, they helped transform Oklahoma City into a championship contender, reaching the Western Conference Finals four times and making an NBA Finals appearance.
Their partnership ended when Durant left Oklahoma City for the Warriors in 2016, a decision that led to years of public attention surrounding his relationship with Westbrook.
Durant went on to win two championships with Golden State, while Westbrook remained in Oklahoma City and became the league’s MVP.
Despite everything that followed their split, Durant’s reaction to Westbrook’s retirement made his respect for his former teammate clear.
Now, Durant is interested to see what comes next for the player who was alongside him for the beginning of Oklahoma City’s rise.
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