Time doesn't really seem to move the same way for everyone. You look at some guys in the league and they’re basically "old" by 30. Their knees give out, the burst disappears, and suddenly they're just a name on a jersey. Then you look at the guy wearing number 18 for the Sacramento Kings.
People keep asking how old is Russell Westbrook because, honestly, the way he plays still feels like a glitch in the simulation. He’s out there sprinting like he’s still at UCLA, even though the calendar says something very different.
The Actual Number: Russell Westbrook’s Age in 2026
Let’s get the hard facts out of the way first. Russell Westbrook was born on November 12, 1988, in Long Beach, California. As of right now, in January 2026, Russell Westbrook is 37 years old.
He’s currently in the thick of the 2025-26 NBA season. Most players his age are either retired, doing color commentary on TNT, or sitting at the end of a bench as a "locker room presence" who only checks in during garbage time. Not Russ. He’s still logging 30 minutes a night, still hunting triple-doubles, and still making life miserable for defenders who are a decade younger than him.
The Timeline of a Legend
- Birth: November 12, 1988
- Drafted: 2008 (4th overall by the Seattle SuperSonics—yes, they existed then)
- The MVP Year: 2017 (The historic triple-double average)
- Current Status: 37-year-old veteran leader for the Sacramento Kings
It’s wild to think he’s been in the league for 18 years. He’s outlasted almost everyone from his draft class. Kevin Love is still around, but the list is getting remarkably short.
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Why 37 Hits Differently for Westbrook
Usually, when a point guard hits their mid-30s, they "evolve." That’s the polite way of saying they stop driving to the rim and start shooting more spot-up threes because their legs are cooked.
Russ? He sort of refused to do that.
While he has developed a more respectable perimeter game—shooting around 35% from deep this season—his bread and butter is still that chaotic, high-speed energy. Just a few weeks ago, in late December 2025, he passed Magic Johnson on the all-time assist leaderboard. He also crossed the 2,000 career steals mark. You don’t get those numbers by just "hanging around." You get them by being a physical outlier.
The Kings signed him for the 2025-26 season on a veteran deal, and he’s been a massive spark. Even though Sacramento has struggled as a team this year, Westbrook’s individual production—averaging nearly 14 points, 7 rebounds, and over 7 assists—is kind of unheard of for a 37-year-old guard who isn't 6'9" like LeBron.
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The "Old Man" Stats That Aren't Old at All
If you look at his recent splits, you’ll see why the Kings keep him on the floor. In a recent win over the Washington Wizards, he dropped a double-double that looked like something out of his OKC prime.
He’s not just a legacy act.
He’s currently one of only two players in NBA history—the other being LeBron James—to rank in the top 10 for points and assists while also being in the top 20 for steals. That kind of statistical versatility requires a level of conditioning that most human beings can't comprehend. He is literally 37 and still has a 92 vertical rating in some of the latest scouting reports.
Career Milestones Recently Hit
- Passed Magic Johnson: Now 7th all-time in assists.
- 2,000 Steals: Joined the elite club of versatile defenders.
- 18 Seasons: One of the longest-tenured active players in 2026.
Misconceptions About the "Vets"
There’s this idea that once you hit 35, you’re a liability. With Russ, people have been trying to retire him since he left Washington. They said he was done in LA. They said he was a bench-only guy in Denver.
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But here he is, starting games for the Kings and proving that "how old is Russell Westbrook" is a less important question than "how much does he have left in the tank?"
The answer is: a lot.
He’s under contract through the end of this season and will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026. Given how he’s playing, someone is going to give him another deal. He hasn't shown the typical "cliff" that athletic guards usually fall off.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following Westbrook's career or trying to project how much longer he'll be around, keep an eye on these specific factors:
- Minutes Management: Watch if Doug Christie (the Kings' coach) starts scaling back his minutes toward the All-Star break. If Russ stays around 30 MPG, he's still a top-tier physical specimen.
- Free Agency 2026: Westbrook will be 38 when the next season starts. Look for him to target a contender looking for a veteran floor general who can still push the pace.
- The Assist Climb: He’s on pace to potentially pass Mark Jackson and Steve Nash this season. If he does that, he moves into the top 5 all-time.
Westbrook is basically the NBA's version of a perpetual motion machine. Whether you love his style or think it's too chaotic, you have to respect the fact that at 37, he’s still the fastest guy on the court half the time. He isn't just playing against other teams; he's successfully beating back the clock.