Russell Westbrook had spent his entire NBA career with the Oklahoma City Thunder before being traded to the Houston Rockets earlier this offseason.

On Friday, the Rockets held a press conference in which they introduced Westbrook. During the press conference, Westbrook admitted that he was “grateful” for his time in Oklahoma City.

“It’s tough. It’s something that will stay with me the rest of my life because I basically grew up there in Oklahoma City,” Westbrook said. “Eighteen, (nineteen) years old there in Oklahoma City and the people, the organization never did me wrong. They always stood up for me and my family, and always had my back. I’m very grateful and I don’t take that for granted. Sam, Mr. Bennett, Coach Brooks, Coach Donovan, everybody over there, they always had my best interests (in mind). I can’t do nothing but be thankful and grateful for what they did for me and my family.”

Earlier this month, the Thunder traded Westbrook to the Rockets in exchange for point guard Chris Paul, first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, and pick swaps in 2021 and 2025. That came just days after the Thunder traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers in a hefty package that included five first-round picks.

Westbrook will reunite with James Harden, whom he played with when the two were members of the Thunder for the first three seasons of Harden’s career.

Westbrook played all 11 of his NBA seasons with the Thunder after he was selected with the No. 4 pick back in 2008. During his time in Oklahoma City, Westbrook blossomed into one of the game’s elite point guards and even won the league’s MVP Award for his performance during the 2016-17 season.

Over the last three seasons, Westbrook has averaged a triple-double becoming the first player in NBA history to accomplish that feat. In addition, he led the Thunder to the playoffs in nine of his even seasons with the franchise. Westbrook and the Thunder were eliminated by the Portland Trail Blazers in the opening round of the 2019 playoffs and it marked the third consecutive season that Oklahoma City lost in the first round.

The Rockets figure to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference this coming season with the Golden State Warriors losing Kevin Durant to free agency and even Klay Thompson to an injury. If Westbrook and Harden gel once again, it’s very possible that the Rockets could make a deep postseason run.