Westbrook retires, Durant celebrates him: “He led by example”

The retirement of Russell Westbrook after 18 NBA seasons inevitably brought back memories of the Oklahoma City years. And among the many messages celebrating Russ’ career, the one from Kevin Durant carries particular weight. KD remembered his former Thunder teammate by looking beyond triple-doubles, MVPs and statistics: he focused above all on the Westbrook that other people didn’t see.

Durant began with an anecdote from their early years together in OKC. One morning, he asked assistant coach Mo Cheeks what was more difficult: getting an individual workout in before or after team practice. The question came directly from Westbrook.

When I would get to the gym, Russ had already finished his morning workout. I would usually do mine after the team session

Kevin Durant

Cheeks told him that showing up before practice was probably the harder choice. From that moment on, Durant changed his routine, essentially following his teammate’s example.

Durant: “Westbrook led by example”

To the public, Westbrook was always pure energy: yelling, celebrating, intensity and a personality impossible to ignore. Durant, however, describes a completely different Russ away from the spotlight.

A lot of people saw his emotions on the court and thought Russ was loud. To me, it was the opposite: he was quiet and methodical. He led by example. Then, when the lights came on, he brought it all out and lived with a feeling of pure freedom

Kevin Durant

It was an approach that KD saw influencing not only his teammates, but countless people he encountered throughout his career.

The crazy thing is, he didn’t need to say much. He just showed up. He did that for 18 years

Kevin Durant

For Durant, this is precisely one of the aspects that best captures the legacy Russell Westbrook left in the NBA: his daily commitment to a game that, for someone who experiences it as a professional, becomes something much bigger than simply a job.

To the NBA Finals with the Thunder

Then came the memories. Those of two young players who became superstars together, capable of leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Finals when they were barely in their twenties, before their paths took completely different directions.

I don’t care about what happened afterward, nobody can erase what it was. We were the first young guys, the run to the Finals when we were barely in our twenties, the All-Star Games, the injuries and seeing each other come back. The bus and plane rides, card games, jokes, arguments… everything. Unforgettable

Kevin Durant

Durant then closed his message by addressing Westbrook and his family directly, congratulating him on an 18-season NBA career.

We all know what Zero represented. Continue to be an inspiration in the next chapter of your life, champ. Much love and congratulations on an iconic career

Kevin Durant

A message that captures the bond between two players who shared one of the most important chapters of their respective careers. Durant and Westbrook eventually went their separate ways, through rivalries, reunions and plenty of matchups as opponents, but for KD, one thing remains impossible to erase: what they built together in Oklahoma City.