Russell Westbrook’s retirement brought a wave of tributes, and Serge Ibaka made sure to add his voice to the list.
Westbrook announced on Aug. 12 that he was calling it a career after 18 seasons, a run that all but locks him in as a first-ballot Hall of Famer three summers from now. His first 11 years came with the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he grew into a global star and helped define the franchise’s first true title chase alongside Kevin Durant. That stretch included one trip to the NBA Finals and four appearances in the Western Conference Finals.
The résumé speaks for itself. Westbrook is a one-time MVP, nine-time All-Star and nine-time All-NBA selection.
He won two scoring titles and three assist titles, and he rewrote what people expected from a triple-double. No one has done it more times than he has, and he reached that number four times during his career.
For Thunder fans, Westbrook remains one of the most beloved players in team history. Outside of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he still has the strongest approval from that fanbase, and the cheers he received every time he returned to Paycom Center after leaving in 2019 made that clear.
Ibaka, who was another key piece of that early Thunder core, took to social media to salute his former teammate. The two played together in Oklahoma City for seven seasons, from 2009-16, and Ibaka’s message came from a place of real familiarity.
"Time flies. I learned so much from you and had so much fun playing with you.
One of the best competitors ever and one of the best teammates I ever had," Ibaka wrote. "I wish everyone had the chance to know you up close like I did.
Congrats on an incredible career."
It was a fitting note from one Thunder great to another. Ibaka and Westbrook went through the same playoff wars, the same deep runs, the same bruising nights that helped shape that era in Oklahoma City.
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