Thunder to Raise No. 0 to Rafters for Russell Westbrook

The Oklahoma City Thunder announced on Monday that they will retire the No. 0 jersey of Russell Westbrook. The ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 7, when the Thunder host the New York Knicks at their home arena.

Westbrook, 37, spent 11 of his 18 NBA seasons with Oklahoma City. He retired as the team leader in seven statistical categories. Those totals include 18,859 points, 5,760 rebounds, 6,897 assists, 1,442 steals, 6,626 field goals, 821 games played, and 28,329 minutes.

During his tenure with the franchise, Westbrook helped the Thunder achieve a .607 winning percentage. That record ranks third in NBA history. The team made the playoffs nine times and reached the Western Conference Finals four times. They also advanced to the NBA Finals in 2012.

Westbrook won the league MVP award for the 2016-17 season. He averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists, and 1.63 steals per game. He became the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season. His 42 triple-doubles that year set an NBA record, and his career total of 209 remains the most in league history.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti praised the player in a statement. “Many players make an impact but only great players leave a legacy. Russell Westbrook’s legacy was built both on the court and in the community,” Presti said. “His mindset was relentless, his commitment deep. For all those reasons, Oklahomans consider him one of their own and his number will be raised to the rafters, in Oklahoma City forever.”