Chris Paul knew for over a year that the 2026 offseason would be his first as a retired star, something that Russell Westbrook quickly found out during free agency.
Paul announced his retirement before the start of last season, but was forced to retire midseason amid a fallout with the LA Clippers that also saw him get traded during his retirement season.
Westbrook definitely intended to keep playing for longer, but after disappointing offers in free agency, the former MVP chose to step away from the sport instead of facing the kind of treatment Paul did.
Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook hanging out as retired legends
With two iconic point guards from the 2010s now officially retired, Paul and Westbrook have put their previous rivalries to bed and are enjoying their retirement summer together.
The pair seem to be travelling in Europe with their families on a shared vacation, with Paul sharing a collection of images and videos that also features an alley-oop from Paul to Russ on a yacht.
This led to a lot of star names celebrating the legendary NBA duo in the comments.
“My guys!!! Love to see this! It gets better,” said fellow retired legend Carmelo Anthony.
“Yes sir!” said Dwyane Wade, excited to see Paul and Westbrook together.
“I’ll fry you in tennis,” said reigning two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Paul in the comments.
“What a time, my brother!” is what Westbrook had to say after seeing the post.
Paul averaged 16.8 points, 9.2 assists, and 4.4 rebounds over his career, while Westbrook averaged 20.9 points, 8.0 assists, and 6.9 rebounds.
Paul won 25 of their 43 clashes in the regular season, but their on-court rivalry is truly in the past as they move on with their retirement chapter.
How did Chris Paul’s and Russell Westbrook’s NBA careers end?
Paul’s career ended with a doomed season on the LA Clippers, a franchise where he’s widely considered their greatest player ever.
Paul didn’t assimilate into the locker room, clashing with players and coaches before being told to not attend games in December, turning a season of celebration into a nightmare for Paul.
Westbrook got to play out his last season as a key player. Unfortunately, it was for the Sacramento Kings, who won just 22 games over the season.
The Kings wanted Westbrook back in a diminished role to be a mentor to rookie Darius Acuff Jr., but Westbrook didn’t want to continue sliding down the rotational pecking order, choosing to retire instead.
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