Westbrook bids farewell to his 18th season: If the Kings welcome me, I'd be willing to return, hoping to still be on the court around 2028.

On April 14 Beijing time, the Sacramento Kings held their season-ending press conference. This season, the Kings finished with 22 wins and 60 losses, ranking second to last in the Western Conference. Westbrook played 64 games, averaging 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game. During this interview, Westbrook was asked about his personal future.

When discussing his performance this season and future possibilities, Westbrook said: "It wasn't until just a few days before the season started that I knew I could sign and play. So I had no expectations at all initially, just gratitude, thankful that I could start another NBA season. Obviously, as things progressed, and since I joined late, I was also figuring out how best to compete and stay competitive. But at least for me personally, I'm quite satisfied with how this season unfolded; I played the entire season healthy. I'm fortunate to have achieved that, to complete a season fully healthy, especially at my age and after so many years in the league. I'm very grateful for that."

"As for myself, I've been very happy here. If the team welcomes me back, I'd be willing to return. But that's not something I can decide. Unfortunately, that's been the case over the past few offseason and seasons; we'll just have to see how things go."

Looking back on Westbrook's 18-year career, he has achieved nearly all individual accolades in the league, including All-Star selections and MVP honors. Now, as a veteran serving as a vocal leader, what drives him to keep moving forward?

Westbrook responded: "I have many people around the world who support me, who have been with me throughout my career; of course, there are also many who doubt me. These two voices combined propel me to keep advancing. Most importantly, my family, who have been with me from the start, supporting me no matter what happens in my career. That allows me to persist until I can no longer play."

Asked about the possibility of reaching the milestone of 20 seasons, Westbrook said: "As for the 20th season, if fate allows and opportunities arise, I'll keep playing. I'll take it year by year, hoping that around 2028, I can still be standing on the court."