Russell Westbrook has announced his retirement from the NBA after 18 seasons, bringing the career of one of the most exciting and unique players of his generation to an end.

There really weren't many players quite like Westbrook. A nine-time All-Star, former MVP and two-time scoring champion, he played the game with a level of intensity that was almost impossible to match. He was constantly attacking, constantly pushing the pace and constantly looking to make something happen.

Of course, his biggest statistical calling card was the triple-double. Westbrook finished his career as the NBA's all-time leader in triple-doubles and became the first player in league history to average a triple-double multiple times. He won the 2017 MVP after putting together a ridiculous season in which he averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game.

But for Bulls fans, Westbrook's career also included some pretty memorable games against Chicago.

And a lot of those games involved Derrick Rose.

One of the first great Westbrook-Rose matchups came on October 27, 2010, when the Thunder hosted the Bulls in the 2010-11 season opener.

Westbrook finished the night with 28 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two steals. Rose matched him with 28 points and six assists, although Oklahoma City ultimately came away with the win.

It was an awesome matchup because you had two of the most athletic point guards the NBA has ever seen going directly at each other.

Rose and Westbrook were both capable of turning a routine possession into a highlight in a matter of seconds. Both could blow by defenders, get to the rim and finish above the defense. They also played with a similar aggressive mentality, never really seeming satisfied to settle for what the defense gave them.

There was also a genuine level of respect between the two.

Rose viewed Westbrook as a peer and someone he had a lot of respect for. The two even worked out together during the offseason, which says a lot about the relationship between two players who were competing for their place among the league's best young guards.

Westbrook's best scoring performance against the Bulls came on March 5, 2015.

He was wearing a mask, Kevin Durant was out and neither Rose nor Jimmy Butler was available for Chicago. That didn't stop Westbrook from taking over.

He finished with a career-high 43 points, along with eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

The Bulls simply didn't have an answer for him.

Westbrook attacked the basket relentlessly and used his scoring ability to open things up for his teammates. Chicago would ultimately win the game, but Westbrook was clearly the best player on the floor that night.

It was also a reminder that Westbrook was more than just a triple-double machine. At his peak, he was one of the most dangerous scoring guards in the NBA.

He would eventually finish his career as the NBA's all-time leading scoring point guard in total points, which is pretty remarkable when you consider how much of his career was defined by his passing and rebounding.

The final Westbrook-Bulls matchup came on March 8, 2026, during his final season with the Sacramento Kings.

And naturally, Westbrook went out against Chicago with a triple-double.

He finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists and one steal. For the NBA's all-time leader in triple-doubles, there was probably no more fitting way to finish his career against the Bulls.

Westbrook also showed off another part of his game that remained effective late in his career: his interior passing.

He repeatedly found rookie Maxime Raynaud around the basket, giving the young big man easy scoring opportunities throughout the night. Westbrook wasn't the same explosive player he had been in Oklahoma City, but he could still see passing angles that other players simply couldn't.

And that's what made the final performance so fitting.

He didn't need to score 40 points or jump out of the gym anymore. He just needed to find a way to impact the game, and he did exactly that.

While many expected Westbrook to play a little longer, he ultimately decided to walk away on his own terms.

That's a pretty fitting ending for a player who spent his entire career doing things his own way.

Westbrook was one of the most entertaining players of his era. His production at his peak was incredible and his relentless style made him one of the easiest players in the league to watch. His battles with Derrick Rose were especially memorable, giving fans a chance to watch two of the most explosive point guards ever go head-to-head.

And when Westbrook played the Bulls, he seemed to bring that same intensity every time.

From the 2010 showdown with Rose to his 43-point performance in 2015 to the triple-double in his final matchup with Chicago, Westbrook left his mark on the Bulls more than once.

He's an all-time great who played the game with an energy that we'll probably never see quite the same way again.

NBA fans should remember Russell Westbrook for a long time. Bulls fans have a few extra reasons to do so.