Russell Westbrook just called it a career after 18 legendary NBA seasons, stamping his triple-double-sized footprint all over the league’s lore. The future Hall-of-Famer’s retirement on August 12 sparked an outpouring of support, including a powerful message from Victor Oladipo, who credited his lone season alongside Westbrook as the “fork-in-the-road moment” for his own NBA journey.
The Westbrook Effect
Oladipo spent just one season with Westbrook on the Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2016-17. But man, what a season it was for Westbrook. Seeing the entire sports world marvel at Westbrook’s stupendous, one-of-a-kind athleticism during his MVP vengeance tour, Oladipo knew what he had to do. He saw firsthand what it took to be an NBA franchise player, pushing him to get to peak conditioning and truly reach his own NBA ceiling. The Thunder squad itself was pretty mediocre that year, making a Round 1 exit, but the impact Westbrook had on his teammates, even in that brief stint, was clearly profound. Oladipo’s tribute says it all: “Thank you bro for all you did for me and the game of basketball. Most of all thank you for being an even better Brodie! Your legacy reigns forever!”
The Blockbuster Trade and Peak Performance
That single season together set the stage for one of the biggest moves of the 2017 NBA offseason. The Thunder went all in with Westbrook, making a blockbuster deal that sent Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Paul George. While maybe not in a direct, immediate sense, that trade eventually worked out for both sides down the road. Those assets were flipped into a 2025 NBA Finals matchup, with George helping the Thunder land Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, and Sabonis helping the Pacers land Tyrese Haliburton. But for Oladipo, the impact was much more immediate. The Pacers didn’t have to wait long to find their next All-Star. Oladipo seamlessly stepped into George’s shoes, transformed after a summer of body work. Slimmed down and ripped, he enjoyed a career year, averaging a career-best 23.1 points and leading Indiana to the 2018 NBA playoffs.
A Career Derailed
Alas, that 2018 playoff run turned out to be the absolute peak of Oladipo’s NBA journey. The lessons learned from Westbrook, the physical transformation, the career-best numbers, it all came crashing down far too soon. In January 2019, he suffered a career-altering ruptured quad tendon. He was never truly the same player after that. Often injured, he only managed to play in 102 games over four seasons following that devastating injury. He hasn’t suited up in the NBA since 2023, though the man is still hoping to make a late-stage comeback. It’s a tough look, thinking about how high he soared and how quickly injuries stole his prime. That tangible affinity he has for Westbrook is undeniable, a reminder of the basketball history he witnessed firsthand, and the brief, shining moment his own career reached its summit.
Westbrook’s legacy is set, an 18-season legend etched in NBA history. For Oladipo, while his path diverged sharply after that incredible peak, the memory of that one transformative season with the retiring superstar remains crystal clear. We’re all rooting for that late-stage comeback, but no matter what, Oladipo’s career story shows just how much one teammate, even for a brief moment, can truly impact your trajectory in this game.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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