The biggest topic of conversation in the NBA this past year has been the situation with Kevin Durant joining the Golden State Warriors and the stance of Russell Westbrook in OKC. One of the biggest surprises in basketball history went down in July 2016. Former MVP Kevin Durant decided to join the Golden State Warriors, a team that had just come off the best regular season in NBA history but lost in the 2016 Finals to the Cavaliers. Many voices surrounded this event, lots of people had some things to say. A lot looked on this decision by KD as a coward move; others looked at it as a smart move.
The media began to surface stories about KD abandoning Westbrook in OKC apparently without even letting Russell know. This began a media fuelled the feud between the two superstars. But is the rivalry and beef as vicious as the press has suggested it is? Durant explained.
Kevin Durant discusses his feelings for Westbrook
In a recent podcast with Bill Simmons, Kevin was asked about the awkwardness between the two, and what this season has been like due to it. Durant explained: "I can't lie it is (strange) because we spent some time together and I understand who I left to go to (GSW)." Surprisingly, Durant also talked about why he doesn't think there is tension between himself and Russell, saying: "To me, I don't think he got a problem...
but if you ask a man every single day about me, I would be pissed too. I think that's what added to this feud or beef that we have that was all manufactured."
Durant further explained that the media created the beef between them, and isn't present. According to KD the topic of discussion was the question of 'are they talking to each other?'.
Durant said: "It was corny, its tabloid TMZ talk, it's not even basketball, it's not even what's important in this game."
Durant really does care about Westbrook
Whether you believe it or not, in the words of KD himself, there is still that friendship and brotherhood present between the two all-stars. The 2014 MVP stated: "I wanted to ask Russell, 'how is your family doing man, how do you feel?' But there are so many cameras watching".
The media would make up a story about what the two were talking about if they saw them, according to Durant. It was overall just an awkward situation for him this season. Hopefully one day we seem them hug it out, and break the supposed tension between each other.
