DeMar DeRozan had a simple message for Russell Westbrook after the veteran guard announced his retirement from the NBA: "One of the realest!!"
That reaction came as Westbrook closed the book on an 18-year career, one that ended after his final season with the Sacramento Kings. The 37-year-old leaves behind a resume loaded with individual and team honors, but he’ll always be tied most closely to his rise with the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he burst into stardom and became one of the defining players of the 2010s.
DeRozan, another major name from that same era, posted his farewell in the comments of Westbrook’s retirement announcement. The two share more than just star power. Both piled up huge numbers, both stayed ringless, and both built careers that stirred strong opinions along the way.
Westbrook’s game was electric, but it also came with the kind of decision-making that produced some unforgettable misfires. DeRozan’s mid-range-heavy style, meanwhile, became something of an old-school outlier as the league drifted farther away from that part of the floor. Still, neither player ever lacked for impact, or for fans who loved them.
That connection runs deep in the markets that embraced them first. Thunder fans still hold Westbrook in near-mythic regard, even after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander helped lead the franchise to glory. Raptors fans have long kept a soft spot for DeRozan, one of the first true stars they could call their own, even with his departure ultimately clearing the path to Toronto’s lone NBA title.
This past season, the Kings brought the two together at the same time, pairing Westbrook and DeRozan on a team that wound up near the bottom of the standings and into the draft lottery. Their run together felt like a throwback to the 2010s, when their style of basketball was everywhere.
Westbrook’s final season coming alongside DeRozan made the pairing feel even more fitting, especially with DeRozan now signed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets for what is presumed to be a Sixth Man role. And while neither player has a championship ring, their place in NBA history is secure.
Both were stars on the court and recognizable names well beyond it, and both are viewed as sure things for the Basketball Hall of Fame once their playing days are done.
In Other News...
Chet Holmgren Just Gave Thunder Fans A Needed Reason To Believe
Chet Holmgrens summer has offered the kind of low-stakes but still revealing glimpse Thunder fans tend to latch onto this time of year. The big man has been taking part in NBPA-sanctioned PLYRS UNTD runs, working against and alongside other NBA players in a setting built more for skill work than headlines, and the early takeaway is that his offensive bag is still very much part of the conversation. For Oklahoma City, that matters because Holmgren already established himself as a breakout piece, but the next step is finding more consistent scoring to go with everything else he brings.
There is a reason the optimism around Holmgren comes with a little edge to it. His talent has never been the question, but the playoffs have a way of sharpening the scrutiny, and his performance in the Western Conference Finals left plenty of room for debate about how much more he can deliver when the stage gets bigger. If these summer runs are any indication, the Thunder are hoping he can answer some of that skepticism by turning offseason flashes into something far more reliable once the games count again. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Suddenly Have A Young Rotation Battle Fans Should Watch
The Thunder are headed into a familiar kind of summer competition, only this time the opening is coming from the other end of the roster. With key rotation minutes suddenly available after the offseason departures of Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Aaron Wiggins, Oklahoma City is expected to lean more heavily on rookies and other inexperienced players as it sorts out who can handle a larger role.
That puts names like Nikola Topic, Thomas Sorber, Aday Mara, and Bennett Stirtz squarely in the mix, and the intrigue is less about who makes the team than who can actually force his way into the nightly plans. Stirtz is the one to watch as a possible surprise, especially with the Thunder looking for more perimeter scoring and his college shooting profile suggesting there may be a path for him to matter sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Just Locked In A Title Piece At A Stunning Value
Isaiah Hartenstein has quickly become one of the steadier reasons Oklahoma City can keep thinking big, and now the Thunder have locked him in for the long haul. Since his arrival, the fit has been clean and the results have followed, with the club reaching the top of the league and showing why its roster core has become the envy of plenty of teams around the NBA.
The larger story here is the value Oklahoma City found in keeping a proven center without having to pay the absolute top of the market. Hartenstein chose to stay with a team that has won at the highest level, giving the Thunder front office another important piece of continuity as it tries to keep the window wide open in the years ahead. [Read more 🡒]