NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder to retire Russell Westbrook's No. 0 jersey

The Oklahoma City Thunder have announced that they will retire Russell Westbrook's No. 0 jersey on February 7. The guard becomes just the second player in franchise history to receive the honour, joining Nick Collison's No. 4 in the rafters.

Westbrook, who announced his retirement last summer, spent 11 of his 18 NBA seasons in Oklahoma City. Selected in the first round of the 2008 draft just days before the franchise relocated from Seattle and officially became the Thunder, he forged a dynamic partnership with Kevin Durant to transform the young team into an NBA powerhouse.

Westbrook's stature in Oklahoma City reached new heights following Durant's departure at the end of the 2015-16 campaign. The following season, he made history by becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double across an entire regular season (31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists), securing league MVP honours. He went on to maintain a triple-double average over the next two seasons, his final years with the Thunder.

In a statement released on Monday, Thunder executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti paid tribute to Westbrook's impact: "Many players make an impact, but only the truly great build a legacy. Russell Westbrook's was constructed both on the court and in the community. His mentality was relentless and his commitment deep. For all these reasons, Oklahomans claim him as one of their own, and his number will hang from the rafters forever in Oklahoma City."

Ahead of the 2019-20 season, the Thunder traded Westbrook to the Houston Rockets, marking the end of his era alongside Paul George and laying the groundwork for the franchise's current resurgence. Following a season in Houston, the nine-time All-Star and NBA 75th Anniversary Team member went on to play for the Washington Wizards, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and Sacramento Kings.