Russell Westbrook retired from the NBA on Aug. 12 after 18 seasons, but his footprint in Oklahoma City is expanding, not shrinking.
Days after the Thunder's all-time franchise leader in points, assists, rebounds and steals announced his retirement via a video narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan, civic conversation has turned to a permanent tribute: a statue at OKC's new arena, the Continental Coliseum. No formal proposal has been announced, but the idea already has vocal backers.
Former Thunder teammate Kendrick Perkins weighed in on Aug. 12, as reported by the NBA commentary account Hoops Den on X:
"Not only should he have his jersey retired in Oklahoma City, but he should have a statue out there as well."
Mayor David Holt added fuel to the sentiment the same day, posting a tribute on X that called Westbrook a "Top 75 player of all time" and "someday, a Hall of Famer." The post drew 1,574 likes and 117 retweets. Holt wrote that "the next chapter begins now" for Westbrook and Oklahoma City.
That next chapter is already taking shape.
Westbrook is a named partner in the $121-million MAPS 4 Multipurpose Stadium, according to the city's official groundbreaking announcement. Oklahoma City leaders broke ground on the project June 1. The 10,000-seat venue, scheduled to open in 2028, will host professional men's and women's soccer, concerts, youth sports and a United Football League team.
The stadium sits on nine acres east of the OKC Convention Center, on land once occupied by the Producers Cooperative Cotton Mill. Echo Investment Capital, founded by Christian Kanady and the majority owner of OKC's professional soccer club, donated the site and will operate the facility. Westbrook is listed alongside Echo, Nick Gross, The Chickasaw Nation, architecture firm Populous, Fields and Futures, and Robinson Park as project partners, though the nature of his investment has not been disclosed.
At the June 1 groundbreaking, Holt said the project "reflects a city that is relentlessly investing in itself" and noted OKC is "perhaps the only top 50 city to lack a multipurpose stadium," adding that the gap had kept the city "from opportunities in soccer and music, as well as in minor league football, collegiate and high school sports."
The stadium is funded through a combination of MAPS 4 penny-sales-tax revenue, the 2025 OKC Bond, Tax Increment Financing, private contributions and other economic development sources. Voters approved MAPS 4 on Dec. 10, 2019; the temporary tax is projected to raise $1.07 billion over eight years.
Westbrook's career numbers in Oklahoma City remain staggering: nine All-Star selections, the 2016-17 MVP award, and the all-time NBA triple-double record. He averaged a triple-double four separate seasons, a feat many considered unrepeatable after Oscar Robertson did it once in the 1960s. When Kevin Durant left in 2016, Westbrook signed an extension and kept the franchise relevant.
NonDoc Media columnist Mike Allen wrote Saturday that a Westbrook statue "has been inevitable for a while" and that his retirement "has brought the conversation forward."
No timeline for a statue decision exists. The stadium, designed by Populous and built by Lingo Construction, is scheduled to open in 2028.
