Russell Westbrook could potentially return to the NBA after announcing his retirement, according to former All-Star Zach Randolph.
Speaking on the Out The Mud podcast, Randolph suggested that Westbrook still has enough left to continue his playing career and specifically mentioned the Miami Heat as a potential destination.
“This man is supposed to be in the league for another 3-4 years at least. I’d like to see him with the Heat. Brodie got a lot left in him. I just saw his little brother yesterday Ray. He might be back,” Randolph said.
Westbrook announced his retirement from professional basketball on August 12, bringing an 18-year NBA career to an end. The 37-year-old guard spent his final season with the Sacramento Kings, averaging 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 64 games.
He remained a major part of Sacramento’s rotation, starting 58 games while averaging 29.0 minutes per night. Westbrook also shot 42.7% from the field and a career-best 33.8% from three-point range in terms of his three-point percentage over a full season.
The 2025-26 campaign was Westbrook’s first with the Kings after spending the previous season with the Denver Nuggets. He averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 75 games for Denver in 2024-25.
Westbrook leaves the NBA as one of the most statistically productive guards in league history. Across 1,301 regular-season games, he averaged 20.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 8.0 assists while making nine All-Star teams and earning nine All-NBA selections.
His most accomplished individual season came in 2016-17, when Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He won the MVP award that season after becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double over an entire season.
Westbrook subsequently recorded triple-double averages in three more seasons, including 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2020-21. He finished his career as the NBA’s all-time leader in regular-season triple-doubles.
Randolph’s comments introduce the possibility of Westbrook reversing his retirement decision, although there is currently no indication from Westbrook himself that he intends to return.
