Westbrook's Historic Performance Lifts Kings Over Warriors

Following an impressive game that marked his 204th career triple-double, Russell Westbrook confidently declared his place in NBA history as the best rebounding guard ever. After leading the Sacramento Kings to a 121-116 victory against the Golden State Warriors, Westbrook stated, "Humbly speaking, I'm the best rebounding guard ever. So if the ball come across the rim, I'm going to get it."

At nearly 37 years old, Westbrook showcased his skills once again, finishing the game with 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. His 16 rebounds not only aided the Kings in securing the win, but also solidified his status as the NBA's all-time leader in career rebounds by a guard. Westbrook surpassed former record-holder Jason Kidd, who had amassed 8,725 career rebounds. Westbrook now tops the list with an impressive total of 8,734 rebounds.

Westbrook revealed that he was unaware of his historic achievement until informed by reporters after the game, humorously adding, "Oh. Honestly, I didn't even know that. I'm going to need the game ball." His career has been marked by incredible statistical feats, including averaging a triple-double in four out of five seasons from 2016 to 2021 and averaging 10 or more rebounds per game across five different seasons.

Throughout his illustrious career of 1,245 regular-season games, Westbrook boasts impressive averages of 21.1 points, 8.0 assists, and 7.0 rebounds per game. He rose to prominence during his 11 seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he earned eight All-Star selections, two scoring titles, and the coveted NBA MVP Award.

In recent years, however, he has adapted to different roles with teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and now the Kings, where he has embraced a bench role. Despite this shift impacting his career averages, he continues to be a valuable contributor.

In his current season with the Kings, Westbrook is averaging 15.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game, marking his best averages since the 2021-22 season. With key players Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Keegan Murray sidelined, Westbrook stepped up significantly, helping the Kings improve to a record of 3-5 on the season. As his career progresses, he takes another significant stride towards securing his legacy as a future Hall of Famer.