Russell Westbrook just made NBA history, surpassing Jason Kidd for the most rebounds by a guard ever with 8,734 boards. The milestone came during the same game where he recorded his 204th career triple-double.
“Oh,” Westbrook said when told about breaking Kidd’s record after the Kings beat the Warriors 121-116 on Wednesday. “Honestly, I didn’t even know that. I’m going to need the game ball.”
The 36-year-old veteran put up an impressive stat line with 23 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists in 35 minutes.
It was his first triple-double of the 2025-26 season, coming in his 18th year in the league. He shot lights out too – going 9-of-13 from the field and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
What makes the performance even more remarkable? The Kings were seriously short-handed.
Sacramento played without stars Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Keegan Murray. The Warriors were missing their own big names in Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green.
Westbrook’s leadership helped the Kings improve to 3-5, currently sitting just outside the playoff picture at 11th in the Western Conference.
“Every night is a dogfight,” Westbrook said. “Our schedule is pretty rough right now, but if we knuckle up and compete at a high level… that’s something I want to bring.”
The triple-double came together late in the game when Westbrook cleverly tipped his 14th rebound as a pass to Dennis Schroder, who knocked down a crucial three-pointer that put Sacramento up by eight with 4:31 remaining.
His final two rebounds in the closing minutes gave the Kings extra possessions to seal the win.
Never one to lack confidence, Westbrook was straightforward about his rebounding prowess: “Humbly speaking, I’m the best rebounding guard ever. So if the ball come across the rim, I’m going to get it.”
Westbrook Finding a New Home in Sacramento
Westbrook, who turns 37 next week on November 12, joined the Kings late in training camp on a one-year, $3.6 million veteran’s minimum deal.
He’s become something of a basketball nomad since leaving Oklahoma City in 2019. Sacramento marks his sixth team in six years, following stints with Houston, Washington, both Los Angeles teams, and Denver.
Despite the constant movement, his resume remains stellar: nine All-Star appearances, nine All-NBA selections, an MVP award, two scoring titles, and a spot on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.
The 6-foot-4 guard isn’t just the all-time triple-double king. He also accomplished the nearly impossible feat of averaging a triple-double for an entire season – and did it four times in his career.
The Kings will look to build on this win as they continue their five-game homestand, facing Westbrook’s original team, the Thunder, on Friday.
