It’s pretty sad to see the current state of the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook’s relationship. The estranged All-Stars seemingly despise each other.
The two openly had words on the court last week during Durant’s return to Oklahoma City…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M4_Thlrfh8
And then, this weekend there was this awkward encounter between the duo…
Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook continue to avoid one another. pic.twitter.com/bfeDwsRLRZ
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 18, 2017
But before Durant announced on July 4 that he would be leaving Oklahoma City to sign with Golden State, the two had discussed the strength of their friendship on many occasions.
There was KD’s MVP speech in 2014…
“I could speak all night about Russell,’ Durant began. ‘An emotional guy who would run through a wall for me. There are days when I want to just tackle you and tell you to snap out of it sometimes. I know there’s days you want to do the same with me. I love you man. A lot of people put unfair criticism on you as a player, and I’m the first to have your back through it all. Just stay the person you are. Everybody loves you here. I love you.”
After the speech, Durant told Sam Amick of USA Today that it was the first time he told Westbrook how he felt…
“Never, never, never,” Durant told USA TODAY Sports when asked if he had ever told Westbrook how he felt. ‘That was the first time I really got to speak from the heart, you know what I’m saying? I felt that it was just the perfect time. You have that sense of ‘Yeah, that guy, that guy right there, he’s down for me. That guy loves me.’ You know what I mean? And I know we both feel that way about each other without even saying nothing, but to tell somebody in front of everybody with tears coming down your eyes? There’s just something special about that.
He went on…
“It’s easy for me to just talk about a person and just say, ‘I love this guy, he’s the best person, the best teammate,'” Durant said. “But I wanted it to be authentic and real. You know, there are some days when we don’t like each other. That’s just normal with relationships you have. I’m sure if anybody has a brother or a cousin or somebody you’re close with, you have good and bad days, and that’s how our relationship is. But through all that, it’s love.
A couple years ago, Durant chose Westbrook to be his presenter at his Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony…
Durant will be inducted into OK Sports HOF. Westbrook will give the speech. KD: "Contrary to belief, we are friends. That’s my brother."
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) October 7, 2015
Westbrook and Durant further spoke about KD choosing him as presenter…
“That was an easy pick,” Durant said. “Somebody that’s with me more than anybody, who knows me inside and out. Just wanted to share this night with him.”
Westbrook and Durant are in their eighth season together as members of the Thunder, growing into not only the most fearsome duo in the NBA, but two bonded friends as well.
“It just shows that we’re brothers, man,” Westbrook said of Durant picking him. “Me and Kevin, we’re brothers for life. We’ve grown so much. Two young men, and now we’re at a stage in our life where we can communicate and talk to each other each and every day and have that brother relationship.”
In an interview with Anthony Slater of NewsOK just prior to the November 2015 ceremony, Durant spoke about the type of friend Westbrook is…
“Uh, I don’t know, I can’t really explain it. Someone you can lean on, someone you can talk to. He’s there for you.”
He went on about their relationship…
“There’s times we cuss each other out, but that’s a part of being brothers. Because I know if I need something, he’ll be there and if I need to talk to someone outside of basketball, he’ll be there. It’s a real brotherhood type relationship. We’re like family.”
Durant also discussed how he takes offense to critics saying the two don’t like each other…
“How can you tell? That’s my whole question. What are you basing that off of? Because he shoots more than I do one game? That don’t make no sense. We don’t like each other because he shot more? That don’t make no sense. And it’s really disrespectful to me or to us because you think I’m that selfish of a person. I don’t like this guy because he shoots more than me? That’s disrespectful to me. Because if I’m a friend, I’m genuine. I’m there. No matter what. Good days, bad days, more shots. I’m a real friend. If I like somebody, I like them. I may not agree with everything they do on the court. That’s a part of it. But don’t say we both changing as men when your questions are changing. Don’t come to me and ask what’s going on with Russell and expect me to be alright with it.”
In May last year, in the midst of Durant’s free agency decision, Westbrook said about Durant: “He’s always going to have my back and I’ll always have his.” Westbrook reiterated in June…
Russell Westbrook on Kevin Durant's free agency. "Regardless of what happens, we'll always be friends."
— Erik Horne (@ErikkHorne) June 1, 2016
And a month after Durant announced he would be leaving Oklahoma City to play for the Warriors…
Westbrook on whether he's still friends with KD: "Definitely. We played together for eight years. You don't just throw that away."
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) August 4, 2016
Looks like eight years of friendship can dissolve pretty quickly.
