Why Not: Westbrook Retires
On August 12, after 18 seasons, Russell Westbrook announced his retirement — in a video narrated by Michael B. Jordan. Nine All-Star selections, an MVP, and more triple-doubles than anyone in history. No farewell tour. One video, and gone. That's very him.
Why he matters to me
"Why Not?" has been my motto for years, and I borrowed it straight from Russ. Why not build the thing? Why not dive the wreck? Why not average a triple-double when everyone says it's impossible?
What I admired most was never the stats. It was the contrast: quiet and private off the court, all joy and fury on it, and — behind everything — serious about life and family. He played every game like it was his last, then went home to be a father. The fashion press conferences were loud; the man was not.
He was never perfect. He shot when he should've passed and got mocked for it for a decade. He also never once dialed down who he was to make anyone comfortable. That trade — flaws in exchange for total authenticity — is one I think about a lot, in engineering and everything else.
What the world said this week
A curated sample of reactions from the last three days:
“Damn Brodie… an absolute Legend! What a hell of a career!”
“We know what zero was on… keep inspiring in the next phase of life champ.”
“HOF next.”
“One of the most underappreciated NBA players ever.”
“GREATEST POINT GUARD EVER.”
“He deserved better.”
Even the one controversy of the week was on brand: the Lakers posted a tribute and fans torched them for it, arguing the franchise had been the start of his late-career wandering. People didn't just respect Russ. They were protective of him.
Why not
Analysts this week kept praising his late-career willingness to adapt — the MVP who became a bench guard and took it seriously. That might be the most "Why Not?" thing he ever did. The motto was never about bravado. It was about refusing to accept that the current version of you is the final one.
Thanks, Russ. Why not, forever.