History of Russell Westbrook in Timeline
Russell Westbrook III is an American professional basketball player currently playing point guard for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA. He entered the NBA in 2008 and rose to prominence with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He has played for six NBA teams during his career.
November 12, 1988: Russell Westbrook III Born
On November 12, 1988, Russell Westbrook III was born. He later became a professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the NBA.
1988: Most Triple-Doubles Since 1988-89 Season
On March 22, 2016, Westbrook recorded his 15th triple-double of the season, amassing the most triple-doubles by a player in a season since 1988-89, when Magic Johnson had 17 and Michael Jordan had 15.
1989: Longest Triple-Double Streak Since Michael Jordan
On December 9, 2016, Westbrook recorded his seventh straight triple-double, the longest triple-double streak since Michael Jordan had seven straight triple-doubles in 1989.
May 2004: Death of Khelcey Barrs III
In May 2004, Khelcey Barrs III, Russell Westbrook's best friend, died from an enlarged heart during a pick-up game at age 16. Westbrook wears a "KB3" wristband in his memory.
January 6, 2006: Career-Best 51 Points
On January 6, 2006, during his senior year, Russell Westbrook registered a career-best 51 points at Carson.
2006: Freshman Year at UCLA
In 2006–07, Russell Westbrook played as a freshman at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was a backup to Darren Collison and was primarily used as a defender and energy player off the bench.
2007: UCLA Lost to Florida in Final Four
In 2007, UCLA, with Westbrook on the team, advanced to the Final Four but lost to eventual national champion Florida, 76–66.
2008: NBA Debut
In 2008, Russell Westbrook made his NBA debut and became a star as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
2008: UCLA Lost to Memphis in Final Four and NBA Draft
In 2008, UCLA, with Westbrook on the team, lost to Memphis 78–63 in the Final Four. After two years at UCLA, Westbrook decided to enter the 2008 NBA draft.
March 2, 2009: First Career Triple-Double
On March 2, 2009, Russell Westbrook recorded his first career triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
2009: Consecutive Triple-Doubles Since Lebron James
On February 27, in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, Westbrook recorded 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists to become the first player to have three straight triple-doubles since LeBron James did so in 2009.
November 26, 2010: Career-High 43 Points
On November 26, 2010, Russell Westbrook scored a then-career-high 43 points against the Indiana Pacers.
2010: FIBA World Championship Gold Medal
In 2010, Russell Westbrook represented the United States national team and won a gold medal in the FIBA World Championship.
2011: First NBA All-Star Game Selection
In 2011, Russell Westbrook was selected as a Western Conference reserve for the 2011 NBA All-Star Game, marking his first all-star appearance.
March 23, 2012: Career-High 45 Points
On March 23, 2012, Russell Westbrook scored a career-high 45 points in a 149–140 double overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
October 2012: Signing with the Jordan Brand
In October 2012, Russell Westbrook signed with the Jordan Brand, and his first commercial was with the Jordan Brand and Champs.
2012: NBA Finals Appearance
In 2012, Russell Westbrook appeared in the NBA Finals as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, losing to the Miami Heat.
2012: Olympics Gold Medal
In 2012, Russell Westbrook represented the United States national team and won a gold medal in the Olympics.
2012: Selection to 2012 Summer Olympics
In 2012, Russell Westbrook was selected to play for the Summer Olympic team in London, where he won a second gold medal.
2012: NBA All-Star Game
Russell Westbrook was selected for the NBA All-Star Game for the 2012-2013 season.
April 25, 2013: Knee Injury
On April 25, 2013, in the second game of the series against the Houston Rockets, Russell Westbrook injured his right knee after a collision with Patrick Beverley.
April 27, 2013: Knee Surgery
On April 27, 2013, Russell Westbrook had surgery on his right meniscus and was declared out for the rest of the playoffs.
November 2013: Partnership with Kings and Jaxs and PepsiCo
In November 2013, Russell Westbrook signed with Kings and Jaxs Boxer Briefs and with PepsiCo to become the global face of Mountain Dew Kickstart.
2013: Second Knee Surgery
Prior to the start of the 2013–14 season, Westbrook had a second surgery on his right knee, which delayed his return to basketball.
February 20, 2014: Return to Lineup After Surgery
On February 20, 2014, Russell Westbrook returned to the lineup after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. He played the rest of the season on limited minutes.
May 27, 2014: 40 points, 10 assists, 5 steals
On May 27, 2014, in a Game 4 victory against the Spurs, Russell Westbrook recorded 40 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists and 5 steals.
2014: Thunder Miss Playoffs
After Westbrook's return from injury, the Thunder could not secure a playoff spot in 2014, finishing ninth in the West with a 45-37 record.
2014: Fracture in Right Hand
After the 2014–15 season opener, Russell Westbrook suffered a small fracture of the second metacarpal in his right hand the following game against the Los Angeles Clippers, missing 14 games.
2014: NBA Scoring Leader
In the 2014–15 season, Russell Westbrook was an NBA scoring leader, leading the league. He would repeat this feat in the 2016-17 season.
February 4, 2015: Tying Career-High 45 Points
On February 4, 2015, Russell Westbrook tied a career-high of 45 points in a 102–91 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
October 30, 2015: 40 points each to start the season
On October 30, 2015, to begin the 2015–16 season, Westbrook and Durant each scored 40 points against the Orlando Magic.
August 4, 2016: Contract Extension with Thunder
On August 4, 2016, Russell Westbrook signed a three-year, $85.7 million contract extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder, becoming the focal point of the team.
2016: All-Star Game MVP
In 2016, Westbrook earned his second All-Star Game MVP award in a 196–173 win by the West, becoming the first player in All-Star history to win consecutive MVPs outright.
2016: NBA MVP Award
In the 2016–17 season, Russell Westbrook earned the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). He is also a nine-time All-NBA Team member.
June 26, 2017: NBA Most Valuable Player Award
On June 26, 2017, Russell Westbrook was named the recipient of the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, making him the first winner from a team with fewer than 50 wins since Moses Malone in 1982.
September 29, 2017: Contract Extension with the Thunder
On September 29, 2017, Russell Westbrook signed a five-year, $205 million contract extension with the Thunder, the largest guaranteed contract in NBA history at the time, spanning six seasons and $233 million through 2022–23 and included a player option for the 2022–23 season.
2017: Contract Expiration
Following the departure of Kevin Durant, trade speculation began swirling around Westbrook, whose contract was set to expire in 2017.
March 13, 2018: 100th Triple-Double
On March 13, 2018, Russell Westbrook recorded 32 points, 12 assists, and 12 rebounds in a win against the Atlanta Hawks, marking his 100th career triple-double and making him the fourth player in NBA history to reach this milestone.
September 2018: Knee Procedure
In September 2018, Russell Westbrook underwent a procedure to address inflammation in his right knee, causing him to miss the preseason and the first two regular-season games.
July 16, 2019: Trade to the Houston Rockets
On July 16, 2019, Russell Westbrook was traded to the Houston Rockets for Chris Paul, two protected first-round picks, and two first-round pick swaps, reuniting him with former Thunder teammate James Harden.
October 24, 2019: Rockets Debut
On October 24, 2019, Russell Westbrook made his debut for the Houston Rockets in a loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, leading the team with 24 points, 16 rebounds, and 7 assists.
October 26, 2019: Second All-Time Career Triple-Doubles
On October 26, 2019, in his second game as a Rocket, Russell Westbrook became second all time in career triple-doubles, passing Magic Johnson, with a 28-point, 13-assist and 10-rebound performance in a win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
2019: Trade to Houston Rockets
In 2019, Russell Westbrook was traded to the Houston Rockets, playing one season for the organization.
January 9, 2020: Return to Oklahoma City
On January 9, 2020, Russell Westbrook returned to Oklahoma City as a visitor for the first time, scoring 34 points in a loss.
December 2, 2020: Traded to the Washington Wizards
On December 2, 2020, amid rumors of unhappiness with the Rockets, Russell Westbrook was traded to the Washington Wizards for John Wall and a 2023 lottery-protected first-round draft pick.
2020: Trade to Washington Wizards
In 2020, Russell Westbrook was traded to the Washington Wizards after playing one season for the Houston Rockets.
March 30, 2021: 30-10-20 Triple-Double
On March 30, 2021, Russell Westbrook became the first player since Magic Johnson in 1988 to record a 30–10–20 triple-double with 35 points, a then-season-high 21 assists, plus 14 rebounds, in a win over the Indiana Pacers.
August 6, 2021: Traded to the Los Angeles Lakers
On August 6, 2021, Russell Westbrook was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson.
2021: Production Debut and Autobiographical Documentary
In 2021, Russell Westbrook made his production debut with Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre and also produced his autobiographical documentary, Passion Play: Russell Westbrook, which debuted on Showtime.
2021: Trade to Los Angeles Lakers
In 2021, Russell Westbrook was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers after a season in Washington.
January 4, 2022: First Game Without Turnovers
On January 4, 2022, Russell Westbrook had his first game without any turnovers since March 14, 2016, in a win over the Sacramento Kings.
April 5, 2022: Lakers Eliminated from Playoffs
On April 5, 2022, the Lakers were defeated by the Phoenix Suns, eliminating them from obtaining a playoff berth. This was the third season in Westbrook's career (and the first since 2015) in which he missed the playoffs.
August 1, 2022: Signed Jeff Schwartz as Agent
On August 1, 2022, Russell Westbrook signed Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports as his agent after severing ties with Thad Foucher of Wasserman in July 2022.
November 2, 2022: Role Change
On November 2, 2022, Russell Westbrook described his new role coming off the bench as "'beneficial for everybody'" according to CBS Sports.
2022: Season with the Los Angeles Clippers
In the 2022-23 season, Russell Westbrook played for the Los Angeles Clippers after being bought out of his contract with the Utah Jazz.
January 15, 2023: Triple-Double Off the Bench
On January 15, 2023, Russell Westbrook recorded 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists off the bench, marking his fourth career triple-double off the bench and setting a record for the most triple-doubles off the bench in NBA history.
February 9, 2023: Trade to the Utah Jazz
On February 9, 2023, Russell Westbrook was traded to the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade involving the Minnesota Timberwolves.
February 22, 2023: Signs with the Los Angeles Clippers
On February 22, 2023, Russell Westbrook signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, reuniting with his former Thunder teammate Paul George and became a starter.
July 6, 2023: Re-signing with the Clippers
On July 6, 2023, Russell Westbrook re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $7.8 million contract.
July 2023: Praise from Coach Tyronn Lue
In July 2023, Clippers Coach Tyronn Lue praised Russell Westbrook's effort and toughness, noting that Westbrook had "saved" the Clippers during the final 20 games of the regular season following injuries to Paul George and others.
2023: Trade to Utah Jazz and Joining the Clippers
In 2023, Russell Westbrook was traded to the Utah Jazz and was bought out of his contract, subsequently joining the Los Angeles Clippers later in the 2022–23 season.
January 1, 2024: Passing Patrick Ewing on All-Time Scoring List
On January 1, 2024, Russell Westbrook surpassed Patrick Ewing to take 25th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list.
April 26, 2024: Ejection from Playoff Game
On April 26, 2024, Russell Westbrook was ejected from Game Three of the first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks after receiving two technical fouls for fouling Luka Dončić and shoving P. J. Washington, in a game the Clippers lost 101–90.
July 18, 2024: Trade to Utah Jazz
On July 18, 2024, Russell Westbrook was traded to the Utah Jazz along with the draft rights to Balša Koprivica, a second-round pick swap, and cash considerations in exchange for Kris Dunn.
July 26, 2024: Signing with the Denver Nuggets
On July 26, 2024, Russell Westbrook signed with the Denver Nuggets.
November 6, 2024: Performance Against Former Team
On November 6, 2024, Russell Westbrook scored 29 points with six rebounds and six assists in a 124–122 win over his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
2024: Trade to Utah Jazz and Signing with Denver Nuggets
In the summer of 2024, Russell Westbrook was traded to the Utah Jazz and waived; he then signed with the Denver Nuggets for the 2024–25 season.
January 10, 2025: Triple-Double with Jokić
On January 10, 2025, Russell Westbrook recorded a triple-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 124–105 win over the Brooklyn Nets. His teammate Nikola Jokić also had a triple-double, making them the first pair of teammates in NBA history to achieve this in the same game multiple times in a season.
Mentioned in this timeline
Basketball is a team sport played on a rectangular court...
LeBron James nicknamed King James is a professional basketball player...
Kevin Durant KD is an American professional basketball player for...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is an American businessman...
James Harden is a professional basketball player for the Los...
The Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball team based...
Trending
13 minutes ago Sofia Kenin vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at WTA Rome 2025: How to Watch
13 minutes ago Beckham family faces fracture amid tension with Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz, mocked online.
14 minutes ago Two men convicted for felling the famous Sycamore Gap tree in UK.
14 minutes ago Khachanov vs. Burruchaga: Italian Open 2025 Prediction, Odds & How to Watch
14 minutes ago Atmos Energy Exceeds Q2 Expectations, Reports Robust First Half of Fiscal 2025.
1 hour ago Sabalenka vs. Potapova: Italian Open 2025 Round of 64 Prediction and Preview
Popular
Jane Goodall is a renowned English primatologist zoologist and anthropologist...
Pope Francis is the current head of the Catholic Church...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is an American businessman...
Cristiano Ronaldo often nicknamed CR is a highly decorated Portuguese...
The Real ID Act of is a US federal law...
Russell Westbrook III is an American professional basketball player currently...