Russell Westbrook’s resurgence with the Sacramento Kings has been one of the NBA season’s biggest surprises.
The 37-year-old veteran guard signed with the Kings on October 16, just weeks before the 2025-26 season tipped off, and has shouldered heavy minutes despite being in the late stage of his career.
Coming into Friday’s contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he was averaging 14.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.0 steals in 27.8 minutes through the first 12 games (six starts).
It was against the Timberwolves, however, that Westbrook delivered his most historic pass yet, recording his 10,000th career assist, joining John Stockton, Chris Paul, Jason Kidd, LeBron James, Steve Nash, and Mark Jackson as the only players in NBA history to do so.
That wasn’t his only milestone; Westbrook also etched his name into history as just the second player ever to record 25,000 points and 10,000 assists, alongside James.
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Westbrook’s 18-year NBA career has been defined by elite athleticism, relentless motor, and monster statistical performances.
Selected fourth overall in 2008, Westbrook swiftly emerged as the centerpiece of the Oklahoma City Thunder era — a perennial All-Star and the league’s MVP in 2016-17.
Now, nearly twenty years later, his resume boasts nine All-Star selections, nine All-NBA honors, and two All-Star Game MVPs.
Westbrook is also a two-time scoring champion (2015, 2017), a three-time assists leader (2018, 2019, 2021), and the all-time leader in career triple-doubles.
In 2016-17, he joined legend Oscar Robertson as the only two players in history to average a triple-double, finishing the year with 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists across 81 regular-season games.
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With an MVP award, historic statistical achievements, remarkable durability, countless All-NBA and All-Star honors, and undeniable cultural influence, Westbrook meets all the classic Hall of Fame criteria.
Standing alongside LeBron James — widely considered the greatest ever — only further cements Westbrook’s place as one of the true legends of the NBA.
