Oklahoma City Thunder will retire Russell Westbrook’s No. 0 jersey on February 7, when the team hosts the New York Knicks at Paycom Center, the club announced on Monday, making him only the second player in franchise history to receive the honour.
Westbrook matters to Oklahoma City because he spent his first 11 NBA seasons with the franchise and still leads it in games, points, assists and several other career categories, a record no later Thunder player has matched.
Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti announced the date at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum’s Day One Luncheon on Monday, according to The Oklahoman. Westbrook was at the event to receive the Oklahoma Standard Award, and he was seen wiping away tears as Presti revealed the plan.
“Many players have an impact, but only great players leave a legacy,” Presti said in a statement. “Russell Westbrook’s legacy was built both on the court and in the community. 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.”
Thunder chairman Clayton Bennett said the club was incredibly proud to retire Westbrook’s number, adding that Westbrook made a lasting mark on the city and state and that his community involvement endured long after his playing days in Oklahoma City ended.
Westbrook, who turns 38 on November 12, played the first 11 of his 18 NBA seasons with the Thunder from 2008 to 2019, according to Reuters. He announced his retirement from the NBA on August 12 after 18 seasons in the league.
Oklahoma City drafted Westbrook with the fourth overall pick in 2008. He went on to become a nine-time All-Star and won the NBA Most Valuable Player award in 2017, and he remains the franchise’s all-time leader in games (821), points (18,859), rebounds (5,760), assists (6,897), steals (1,442), field goals made (6,626) and minutes (28,329), Reuters reported.
No. 0 will become only the second number retired by the Thunder since the franchise moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. The first was former team-mate Nick Collison’s No. 4, which was raised in 2019, according to multiple reports.
Westbrook’s wife Nina reacted to the announcement on social media, writing “Zero my hero” under the Thunder’s Instagram announcement, according to the Times of India. The Oklahoman also reported that the honour will carry over to the Thunder’s new arena, Continental Coliseum, which is set to open for the 2028-29 season.
What is confirmed is the date, the opponent and the venue: February 7 against the Knicks at Paycom Center. The club has not yet published a full programme for the ceremony night, and no further retirement details have been announced beyond the date and the game.
