The dust hasn’t even settled on Russell Westbrook’s retirement, the man himself went on his stylish yacht vacay with Chris Paul, and now we’re already getting feelers about his new job? Social media was set ablaze this week after a viral post claimed that the former MVP had officially re-joined the Houston Rockets. No, he did not pull a rapid-fast Michael Jordan. He’s apparently joining in a brand-new role.
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The post, published by the popular account “theboxscoreph,” alleged that the newly retired guard was hired by Houston as a player development coach to bring his signature intensity and work ethic to the franchise’s young roster that includes his former teammate, Kevin Durant, and new talent, Amen Thompson.
The viral post quickly gained massive traction across Instagram, pulling in over 2,300 likes and shares. However, basketball fans can pump the brakes on a reunion. The verdict on this piece of news is a hard false.
His latest project is, in fact, adjacent to the NBA. While his yacht pick-and-roll with Chris Paul was going viral, he quietly joined the board of Project B, a rival basketball league. The details of that are still incoming.
The claim about the Rockets originated entirely from “theboxscoreph,” a page that explicitly states in its social media bio: “Reel creator. Satire. Parody. Memes. Read at your own risk.” The post is a complete work of satire, fabricated in the wake of Westbrook’s official announcement stepping away from the NBA after an illustrious 18-year career.
Fans frustrated by viral Russell Westbrook hoax
Despite the account’s explicit satire warning, the post managed to fool a significant portion of the online NBA community, prompting a wave of mixed reactions from fans on Instagram.
Some users immediately bought into the premise, eyeing the potential impact on Houston’s young core: “Ngl he could teach amen [Amen Thompson] a lot.” Others were far more skeptical of Westbrook’s coaching fit, writing, “U can’t possibly think he cud do that job 😂.” Meanwhile, frustration over viral hoaxes boiled over for several users, with one fan stating, “I wish we could sue yall for purposely spreading false information,” while another simply added, “Nice fake news 🤣😂.”
Currently, the Rockets added veteran assistant coach Chip Engelland, who’s widely regarded as one of the top player development and specifically shooting coaches in the league, this offseason. Head Coach Ime Udoka has known Engelland for 20 years, dating back to their time together in San Antonio.
Funnily enough, this bit of false news overwhelmed Engelland’s hiring in online search summaries.
Adding fuel to the rumor mill was the real-world context surrounding Russell Westbrook’s retirement. Before the 2017 MVP officially announced his departure from the league via a Michael B. Jordan-narrated farewell video, rumors floated that the Rockets were among the teams evaluating options to land him during his final free agency run.
While a coaching stint is not currently on the table, Westbrook’s history with the Rockets remains a memorable chapter in recent franchise lore. During his sole 2019-20 season in Houston alongside James Harden, Westbrook averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game, earning his ninth All-Star and All-NBA selections. The front office even traded center Clint Capela to fully embrace a “micro-ball” system that maximized Westbrook’s relentless rim-attacking capabilities, pushing his numbers to over 33 points per game during a blistering February 2020 stretch.
While Westbrook’s post-retirement plans center heavily on his philanthropic endeavors with his Why Not? Foundation, his return to Space City remains purely a internet meme rather than a sideline reality.