kd

[kd @kdotski]

@Schopptalk @ShipChasing

[Aakash Gupta @aakashgupta]

Russell Westbrook retired today with the most triple-doubles in NBA history. The name written on his wrist for all 18 seasons belongs to the kid UCLA actually wanted. That kid died at 16, and Westbrook spent two decades playing for both of them.

Westbrook was a 5'8", 140-pound freshman that no college recruited. The call UCLA's head coach made to his high school in 2004 was about Khelcey Barrs III, Westbrook's best friend from across the street in Hawthorne. A 6'6" phenom pulling scholarship offers as a sophomore. The two had a pact to play at UCLA together, then the NBA.

In May 2004, during a pickup game at LA Southwest College, Barrs collapsed on the court. An undiagnosed enlarged heart.

Westbrook walked across the street every morning after that to do his friend's chores at his grandmother's house. Then he grew 7 inches, averaged 25 a game as a junior, and took the UCLA offer they were supposed to accept together. From that point on he played like a man carrying two careers.

The numbers he put up look like typos.

209 triple-doubles is the most in NBA history, and it took breaking Oscar Robertson's record that stood for 47 years. In 2017 he averaged a triple-double across an entire season, something no human had done since 1962, then did it three more times. 27,176 points, 14th all time. 10,351 assists, 5th all time, behind only Stockton, CP3, Kidd, and LeBron. He did all of it at 6'3" in a league of giants, and outlasted the franchise that drafted him. Seattle picked him 4th in 2008 and stopped existing before he played a game.

And in every one of his 1,301 games, he wore two wristbands. One said KB3. The other said "Why not?"

People spent 18 years asking why he played every possession like the building was on fire. He was playing for two.

[Kevin Durant @KDTrey5]

I remember asking assistant coach Mo Cheeks, what’s harder to do? Workout after practice or before?? I only asked cuz by time I would get to the gym, Russ was already done in the morning and I usually got mine in after practice. Mo like, “coming in before practice is probably harder”…since then, it’s been my routine….a lot of people looked at the emotions on the court and thought Russ was loud, nah to me, he was quiet and methodical. He lead by example and once the lights were bright, he let everything out and experienced pure freedom. It was inspiring as his teammate and everywhere I went, I seen it inspire people from all walks of life, crazy thing is, he didn’t say much, he just showed up. For 18 years. This basketball life is sacred to us as professionals, what we put into that court means everything. Some of us wish we could go back and do things with a little more intent and some can just wipe their hands and be satisfied with the time spent. Who u gonna be? We know what zero was on…keep inspiring in the next phase of life champ. I don’t care what happens, can’t erase what it was…The first YNs, finals run in our early 20s, all star games, seeing each other get injured and bounce back, the bus rides, plane rides, card games, jokes and arguments, the whole thing, memorable!! …to the whole Westbrook family, Nina, the kids, mama Westbrook, big Russ, Ray, Donnell, everybody from luezinger high and ucla and many more that I’m forgettin, much love and Congratulations on a iconic career.

[Kazeem Famuyide 🇳🇬 🍎 @Kazeem]

Dropping this commercial before your first official season as top dog and AVERAGING A TRIPLE DOUBLE lol

[thoughts to myself @jomadafacka]

Put $20 into my Roth IRA instead of ordering on DoorDash

[kd @kdotski]

@HoopGrids Twolves legend went for a dunk down 3 at the buzzer

[dej ⁷🪽SAW HIP HOP PHILE @daisydeja]

the workers in the theater watching us sit and wait for a post credit scene

[Celtics Performances @BestOfCeltics0]

Brandon Bass Celtics midrange work.

[zaso ✟ 📹 @ev1lzaso]

when the tablet asks me to add a tip https://t.co/2IT90hjEj0

[kd @kdotski]

@SamGreenwoodRIO @RichieLawlor

[kd @kdotski]

@UofBasketball Watching Kobe during 08-10

[MarzTalksSports @MarzTalksSports]

Make them all 6'6 and keep chris paul at 6'0 and i might still take him

[keke @TheyShe_McGrady]

stupid archetype name gimmick

[kd @kdotski]

@AgingRanchHand

[New York Basketball @NBA_NewYork]

bro

[kd @kdotski]

Getting up 31 shots in a finals game #purehoops

[kd @kdotski]

Having a fundamental basketball concept named after you

[Daily Roman Updates @UpdatingOnRome]

There is levels.

[Pitless @pitlessball]

Steve Nash in Games 4-6 of the 2005 WCSF (5/15-5/20)

40.3 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 9.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 60/58/100 Shooting, 71.1% TS (+19.2 rTS%)

[RCsWorld @RCsWrld]

2009 Paul Pierce 0-3 dribble scoring

[kd @kdotski]

@UnderdogNBA