BOSTON â The basketball world saw an all-time great call it a career this offseason Russell Westbrook announced his retirement via a social media video.
The announcement stunned everyone, as the 18-year NBA veteran clearly had a lot more left in the tank and many believed he could still contribute, at a minimum, as a good veteran presence and emotional leader for a team as he has throughout his NBA career.
New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray was among the many NBA stars who took to social media to congratulate Russell Westbrook on his incredible career and give him his flowers.
âÂÂGREATEST POINT GUARD EVER!!!!â Murray said on Twitter, quote tweeting the retirement video in the process.
GREATEST POINT GUARD EVER!!!! ð¤ https://t.co/qZcUnpwz0m
â Dejounte Murray (@DejounteMurray) August 12, 2026
Murray recently took part in New Balance's Beantown Elite Experience, where the brand invited in some of the best boys and girls high school basketball players in the country to take part in a four-day camp alongside today's NBA stars. Dejounte Murray was joined by Kawhi Leonard, Tyrese Maxey, Darius Garland, and Zach LaVine in New Balance's Boston, Massachusetts headquarters to advise and help the high school campers.
Murray spoke exclusively with ClutchPoints at the event, where he discussed Russell Westbrook's retirement and why he believes the former NBA MVP is the greatest point guard of all time.
Article Continues BelowâÂÂI mean, obviously, I wish he could have [gone out] better,â Murray told ClutchPoints. âÂÂI wish guys of that caliber that's done so much for the game on the floor, but also off the floor, just him as a man and what he's done for men, women, the youth, kids around the world. It means so much and I just wish he could have had like a farewell tour where he gets celebrated the way he should because the person is just, he's second to none.âÂÂ
Westbrook's announcement came in part because the 2016-17 NBA Most Valuable Player still appeared to have a lot left in the tank. Most people expected that, when and if he would retire, he would at least allow for some kind of retirement tour in order to celebrate a player that played harder than any of the nine players he shared the court with.
Instead, Westbrook posted a social media video that put together a video titled âÂÂThe Museum Of Unspoken Answer,â narrated by Michael B. Jordan and directed by Sean Kelly. The video highlighted Westbrook's basketball playing career from childhood all the way to the day he decided he was going to retire.
âÂÂHis work ethic, his passion for the game, and the way he plays the game, that's how the game is supposed to be played,â Dejounte Murray added to ClutchPoints. âÂÂJust extremely hard on both ends of the floor. And no friends allowed until after the game. So I just respect him that much. And when it comes to my opinion as him being the greatest point guard ever, it's like, I mean, not only the stats shows it, and I'm bigger than just a stats guy. Actually, an eye test guy. I love watching basketball. And obviously, I was blessed to compete against him. And I love Magic Johnson. I love John Stockton and Isaiah Thomas. All them old school guys, but just who Russ was and what he's done I think just on and off is just you can't do that again, you can't script that.âÂÂ
Russell Westbrook finished his NBA career averaged 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Westbrook finished first in NBA history in triple-doubles with 209, 14th in total points with 27,176 points scored, fifth in total assists with 10,351 assists, and 14th in total steals with 2,038 steals.
You can read Dejounte Murray's full interview with ClutchPoints about the New Balance Beantown Experience, his return to the court from an Achilles tear, and on the website and social media later today.

