Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul have spent much of their careers on opposite sides of the same debate, the same playoff battles, the same point guard hierarchy. Now, with both men officially retired, they’re sharing vacation time instead of floor time.
The two former stars recently went on a getaway together on a yacht, and a social media clip showed they’re still moving like they’ve got a few seasons left in them. Paul tossed Westbrook an alley-oop in a nod to his Lob City days, and Westbrook sent one back.
Westbrook’s career spanned 18 seasons, and most of it is defined by what he became in Oklahoma City. Over 11 seasons with the Thunder, he grew into a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, won an MVP, made nine All-Star teams and nine All-NBA teams, and set the all-time triple-double record. He also helped lead Oklahoma City alongside Kevin Durant during the franchise’s early title-contending years and multiple deep playoff runs.
After last season with the Sacramento Kings, Westbrook decided to call it a career at 37. A championship ring never came, but his place in league history was never really in doubt. At his best, he was one of the most polarizing and influential players of his era.
Paul’s resume is just as stacked. He finished with 21 seasons under his belt, was named an All-Star 12 times and All-NBA 11 times, and collected five assist titles along the way. For a long stretch across the 2000s and 2010s, he was right in the mix with the league’s very best, and many still view him as one of the greatest traditional point guards ever.
Their paths even crossed in a major 2019 trade. Paul landed in Oklahoma City for one season and used that stop to rebuild his value as an All-NBA-level veteran. He also helped mentor Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who arrived in OKC at the same time, and that relationship has stayed strong.
Paul’s retirement, though, did not unfold the way many expected. Instead of a long goodbye, the LA Clippers sent him home in Dec.
- He was later traded to the Toronto Raptors at the 2026 NBA trade deadline, then waived and forced into an abrupt retirement without a final game or any sort of farewell treatment.
That makes this summer trip feel a little more fitting. Two rivals, two careers that shaped an era, and two players who never won a ring but still built legacies that don’t need one to matter.
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