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Posts tagged as “Retirement”

Triple-Double King: Russell Westbrook Retires After 18 Relentless Seasons

After 18 relentless seasons in the NBA, future Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook officially announced his retirement on social media, capping off one of the most explosive and statistically dominant careers in basketball history. Captured in a poignant farewell video captioned, “You had to be there. And now it’s over,” the 37-year-old guard steps away on his own terms as the undisputed king of the triple-double.

Drafted 4th overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in 2008 before immediately transitioning with the franchise to become an Oklahoma City Thunder legend, Westbrook’s journey spanned seven teams. Following 11 iconic seasons in OKC—where he led the team to the 2012 NBA Finals—he suited up for the Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and finally, the Sacramento Kings.

Westbrook re-wrote basketball record books during his electrifying career. The 2017 NBA Most Valuable Player made history by becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double across an entire season, doing so four separate times and retiring as the league’s all-time leader with 209 career triple-doubles. A nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA selection, two-time scoring champion, three-time assist leader, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, Westbrook leaves behind an unmatched legacy of pure intensity, passion, and historic versatility.

Phoenix Mercury Diana Taurasi retires after 20 years in the WNBA

Phoenix Mercury Diana Taurasi has officially announce that “she’s retiring from basketball.”

In an article published by Time Magazine;

Taurasi reveals publicly for the first time that she’s retiring from basketball. “Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” says Taurasi, who played all 20 of her WNBA seasons for the Mercury. “That’s probably the best way I can describe it. I’m full and I’m happy.”

She played for the Phoenix Mercury, who drafted her at first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft and played for the team for 20 years. The late Kobe Bryant gave her the nickname “White Mamba” and she is the leading scorer in WNBA history and voted “greatest of all time” by the WNBA’s fans.

As for accolades, Taurasi is one of 11 women to win an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup, and a WNBA Championship.

Former MVP Derrick Rose announce retirement after 16 years in the NBA  

Shams Charania, reporting for The Athletics/NYTimes;

Former NBA MVP Derrick Rose is retiring, the 35-year-old guard told The Athletic. He made his announcement official Thursday morning via social media and by placing ads in local newspapers of the six NBA cities he played for: Chicago, New York, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Detroit and Memphis.

Derrick Rose, like Grant Hill, is one of those players that we did not get to see their full potential and their career are cut short because of injury.

Adrian Wojnarowski retires from ESPN to be the GM of the men’s basketball program at St. Bonaventure  

Adrian Wojnarowski, posted on his X account (@wojespn)

I grew up the son of a factory worker two miles from ESPN’s campus and only ever dreamed of making a living as a sportswriter. Thirty-seven years ago, the Hartford Courant gave me my first byline and I never stopped chasing the thrill of it all.

This craft transformed my life, but I’ve decided to retire from ESPN and the news industry. I understand the commitment required in my role and it’s an investment that I’m no longer driven to make. Time isn’t in endless supply and I want to spend mine in ways that are more personally meaningful.

I leave with overwhelming gratitude for countless mentors and colleagues, subjects and stories, readers and viewers. No one has benefitted more than me from the belief, trust and generosity of others.
The past seven years at ESPN have been a particular privilege. I’m appreciative of the company’s leadership – especially Jimmy Pitaro and Cristina Daglas – for the understanding and acceptance of my decision to make a life change.

After all these years reporting on everyone’s teams, I’m headed back to my own.

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No more Woj bomb!:(