Sacramento Kings guard Russell Westbrook (18) takes a shot before a game against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena with Skip Bayless in the background
Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
NBA analyst Skip Bayless isn't backing off on his bold Russell Westbrook take, including why he doesn't believe the nine-time All-Star is a Hall of Fame guard. Westbrook officially announced his retirement after 18 seasons in the NBA. And while most consider him to be a first-ballot candidate, Bayless begs to differ.
He understands why Westbrook's numbers makes him a no-brainer for the Hall of Fame, as a guard who averaged a triple-double in his MVP season in 2017 before reaching the impressive feat four times in five seasons. Still, Bayless isn't backing down on his stance about Westbrook's legacy.
“So, Russell Westbrook retired. Obviously, his numbers say slam dunk, first-ballot hall of famer. But I’ve been consistent in my stance about Russell Westbrook. My view of Russell Westbrook's game. He would not be in my Hall of Fame,” Bayless said. “I don't hate the player, but I guess I hate the game.”
Skip Bayless on Russell Westbrook’s retirement 👀
“Obviously, his numbers say slam dunk, first-ballot hall of famer. But I’ve been consistent in my stance about Russell Westbrook… He would not be in my Hall of Fame.”
(via @RealSkipBayless) pic.twitter.com/7ddPUivoS2
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 13, 2026
Skip Bayless has often points to Russell Westbrook's inefficiency as a turnover-prone guard as the basis of his argument. He even coined the “Westbrick” moniker for his poor 3-point shooting percentages during Westbrook's final season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by brief stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and the LA Clippers.
Russell shot below 30% from beyond the 3-point arc in nine of his 18 seasons, but finished his career shooting at a 30.8% clip. He also averaged a career-best 5.4 turnovers for the Thunder in 2016-17, but was still crowned league MVP. Westbrook became the first NBA player to average a triple-double in a single season.
He's the all-time leader with 209 career triple-doubles.