Former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook may have stepped away from professional basketball, but fans can still find him in NBA 2K27.
Weeks after announcing his retirement, the former NBA star remains listed as a free agent in the popular basketball video game. However, it is his 79 overall rating that has become a major talking point among fans.
For a player with Westbrook’s résumé, including an MVP award, nine All-Star selections and a record-breaking career as one of the greatest triple-double players in NBA history, the number offers a reminder of how much his game had changed by the end of his 18-season career.
Russell Westbrook Has a 79 Overall Rating in NBA 2K27
In NBA 2K27, Russell Westbrook is listed as a 6-foot-4 point guard, wearing No. 18 and available in the free-agent pool.
His player profile is built around the qualities that defined his career. Westbrook’s strongest attributes include 87 athleticism and 83 playmaking, reflecting the explosive speed and ball-handling ability that made him one of the most dynamic guards of his generation.
However, other parts of his profile tell the story of his later NBA seasons.
His outside scoring is rated at 75, while his inside scoring sits at 67. His defensive and rebounding numbers are both in the high 50s, and his player card includes 10 badges without any reaching Gold or Hall of Fame status.
The overall rating represents the version of Westbrook seen during the final stage of his playing career rather than the dominant player who once ranked among the NBA’s biggest superstars.
A Major Difference From Russell Westbrook’s MVP Years
Westbrook’s NBA 2K27 rating looks very different from the ratings he received during his prime.
At the height of his career, particularly during his MVP season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Westbrook was regularly rated in the mid-90s.
The 2016-17 season remains one of the defining campaigns of his career. Westbrook averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists, becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double across an entire NBA season.
That historic performance helped him win the NBA MVP award and cemented his place among the league’s most unique players.
Westbrook later became the NBA’s all-time leader in career triple-doubles, finishing his career with 209.
From NBA MVP to a 79 Overall Rating
A 79 overall rating may appear modest when compared with Westbrook’s accomplishments, but video game ratings are designed to reflect a player’s most recent form rather than his entire career.
By the end of his NBA journey, Westbrook was no longer the unstoppable force who could dominate games with his speed, aggression and ability to fill the stat sheet.
Still, his athleticism and playmaking remain two of the strongest elements of his NBA 2K27 profile.
For fans who followed his career from Oklahoma City through multiple NBA stops, the rating serves as a reminder of both his remarkable peak and the natural evolution of a player entering the final stages of a long professional career.
Russell Westbrook Retired After 18 NBA Seasons
Westbrook’s NBA career began when he was selected fourth overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics organization.
Over the next 18 seasons, he became one of the most accomplished guards of his era.
His career included an NBA MVP award, nine All-Star appearances and a place at the top of the league’s all-time triple-double list.
Westbrook played for several franchises throughout his career and finished his NBA journey with the Sacramento Kings.
He announced his retirement on August 12 through a video narrated by actor Michael B. Jordan, choosing to end his career without a traditional farewell tour.
Russell Westbrook’s Legacy Continues in NBA 2K27
Although Westbrook’s professional playing career has come to an end, NBA 2K27 gives basketball fans another opportunity to use the former MVP.
His 79 overall rating may not place him among the game’s elite players, but his presence as a free agent allows fans to revisit one of the most exciting players of his generation.
For many basketball fans, Westbrook will always be remembered for his relentless energy, explosive drives to the basket and extraordinary ability to record triple-doubles.
The number beside his name in NBA 2K27 may represent the final stage of his career, but it does not define the legacy he built over nearly two decades in the NBA.
Conclusion
Russell Westbrook’s 79 overall rating in NBA 2K27 has attracted attention because of the contrast between his current virtual rating and his remarkable NBA career.
From winning the MVP award and averaging a triple-double to becoming the league’s all-time triple-double leader, Westbrook built a legacy few players can match.
While NBA 2K27 reflects the version of Westbrook seen toward the end of his career, fans can still find the former superstar in the game as a free agent.
For a generation that watched him attack the rim, dominate the stat sheet and redefine what a point guard could accomplish, seeing Westbrook still available in NBA 2K27 creates a fitting and emotional connection between his past and his virtual basketball future.
