January 9, 2020 – it’s a date that has been circled on Oklahoma City Thunder fans’ calendars all season long.

Russell Westbrook makes his highly anticipated return to Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City on Thursday night (9:30 pm ET TSN5), marking the star point guard’s first game back since departing for the Houston Rockets via the blockbuster July trade after 11 seasons with the Thunder.

After Paul George quietly requested a trade out of Oklahoma City to unite with Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers, many figured that Westbrook would be on his way to a new team.

What they did not know was how fast the trade would happen.

Just one day after George went to the Clippers, the Thunder dealt Westbrook to the Rockets for Chris Paul, two first-round picks in 2024 and 2026, as well as pick swaps in 2021 and 2025.

The trade signified the end of an era for Westbrook and the Thunder as the UCLA alumnus spent his entire career with the organization being drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics fourth overall in the 2008 NBA draft.

Westbrook enjoyed considerable success in his decade-plus run in Oklahoma City, being named an all-star eight times. The 2016-17 MVP averaged 23 points a game and his 138 triple-doubles with the Thunder had him tied with Magic Johnson for the second most in NBA history (he now sits in second place with 144).

He guided the Thunder to the NBA Finals in the 2011-12 season, losing to the Miami Heat in five games.

In Houston, Westbrook reunited with star James Harden who was drafted by the Thunder third overall in the 2009 NBA draft. He spent three seasons in Oklahoma City before being traded to the Rockets in 2012. The two all-stars have enjoyed a winning season so far with the Rockets (25-11), who currently sit in third place in the Western Conference 4.5 games back of the first place Los Angeles Lakers.

Westbrook, who sat out the first game of the Rockets’ back-to-back, a 122-115 win over Atlanta Wednesday night, has posted career average numbers across the board this season with the Rockets, averaging 24.1 points per game.

Meanwhile, Paul and the Thunder have enjoyed a winning season (21-16) as well, good enough for seventh place in the West.

Paul has shown no signs of slowing down as he has also posted career average numbers, averaging 16.6 points a game with the Thunder.

Ahead of tonight’s game, Thunder general manager Sam Presti released a statement on behalf of the team regarding Westbrook’s contributions to Oklahoma City.

The Thunder will be looking to even the season series as this is the second-last time the two teams will meet in 2019-20, and the only time in Oklahoma City. Houston won the first game, 116-112, on Oct. 28, with Westbrook netting 21 points in the victory.

They close out the season series Jan. 20 in Houston.