Former Thunder MVP and current Oklahoma City living legend Russell Westbrook makes his first visit to The Paycom Center as a Sacramento King today. At one time, most OKC fans believed that Westbrook would play his entire career in Thunder blue and sunset orange. But the Kings will be the sixth opposing jersey he will wear as a frenemy in Loud City. 

Westbrook played 11 seasons as an Oklahoma City Thunder. The accolades he racked up will one day make him a first ballot Hall of Famer. Eight All-Star selections. Eight All-NBA selections. Two scoring titles. Two assist titles. Three straight seasons averaging a triple double. The most triple doubles in one season. The all-time triple double record. Four Western Conference Finals appearances. One NBA Finals appearance. Four straight seasons as a Top 5 MVP vote getter. One MVP. And one million viral highlights, both on the court and in the locker room. 

Westbrook played 1 season as a Houston Rocket. He notched one more All-Star and one more All-NBA selection during his time with the Rockets. 

Westbrook played 1 season as a Washington Wizard. He notched one more assist title during his time with the Wizards. He was the driving force for Washington’s only playoff appearance in a seven year span. 

Westbrook played one and a half seasons as a Los Angeles Laker. Of all of his stops in the NBA, the Long Beach native’s stint with his hometown team seems to be the one that he’d most like to forget. 

Westbrook played one and a half season as a Los Angeles Clipper. His high point with the Clippers were his heroics in the 2023 Playoffs against a stacked Phoenix Suns squad after Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were lost to injury. While the Clippers lost the series, Westbrook singlehandedly kept LA in each game. 

Westbrook played one season as a Denver Nugget. The fit was questioned by some NBA analysts and fans, but he provided a much needed spark and scoring punch off a depleted Denver bench. The 2025 West Semi-Finals against OKC had its ups and downs, but it’s fair to say the Nuggets would not have advanced past the Clippers in the first round without Westbrook. 

We don’t yet know if the Sacramento Kings will be Westbrook’s final stop in his long and illustrious NBA career. The nine time All-Star scoffed when asked after signing in Sacramento if this would be his last season. But we do know one thing: when Westbrook checks into the game tonight and makes his OKC debut as a King, the former King of the Prairie will get a royal welcome home.