Russell Westbrook’s retirement has pulled tributes from across the NBA, and Magic Johnson added his name to the list with a message that carried real weight.
Westbrook announced on Aug. 12 that he was done after an 18-season career, and Johnson - one of the game’s defining point guards himself - praised him publicly on social media. Johnson called Westbrook “the most athletic point guard that the NBA has ever seen” and pointed to the stat that became part of his legend: the NBA’s all-time regular season triple-doubles record.
“I want to congratulate Russell Westbrook on his retirement from the NBA after an extraordinary hall of fame basketball career!,” Johnson wrote. “Russell’s the most athletic point guard that the NBA has ever seen and his dominance led him to become the NBA’s all-time leader in regular season triple-doubles.”
Westbrook’s career made him one of the signature stars of the 2010s. He was a one-time MVP, a perennial All-Star, and a player whose numbers often looked ripped straight from a video game. On those Oklahoma City Thunder teams with Kevin Durant, he helped turn a small-market franchise into a national fixture, with deep playoff runs that kept them in the spotlight even without a championship.
Johnson’s praise also carried a bit of history with it. Back in 2012, when Johnson was working as an ESPN analyst, he called Westbrook the worst starting point guard in NBA Finals history. That comment made noise at the time, especially with the Thunder falling to the Miami Heat in five games.
More than a decade later, Johnson’s view has clearly shifted. In his tribute, he also highlighted Westbrook’s approach to the game and his work away from it.
“The two things I admire most about Russell - he never cheated the game, and his passion for giving back to Los Angeles through his numerous philanthropic endeavors,” Johnson continued. “May God continue to bless him and his family!”
Johnson, a three-time MVP and five-time NBA champion, is widely considered one of the greatest point guards ever and a Lakers icon. So when he salutes Westbrook like this, it says plenty about the career Westbrook just finished.
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