Russell Westbrook opened up just a bit on Saturday about his feelings in the wake of Kevin Durant’s departure from Oklahoma City.
Westbrook was nonchalant in the face of the inevitable Durant questions, shrugging off the questions about Durant’s decision to leave for Golden State and saying he had little choice but to move on with his life and career.
“Obviously, us playing here, we grew up here together,” Westbrook said Saturday, via Royce Young of ESPN. “Since then, his decision has been made about what’s best for him and his future and I made the decision that was best for mine, and that’s just how it’s been.
“Sometimes it happens like that. There’s nothing I can say about it. Sometimes that’s how things go.”
Westbrook was measured in his response when asked if Durant’s departure and their current lack of relationship hurts.
“Hurt? I mean, I’m fine. I’m fine. Honestly. Move forward,” Westbrook said. “Things happen in life, man, and as a man you’ve got to move forward. I have a great group of guys here that I love like my brothers. There’s been many-a-teammates I’ve had here before that left me, and they’re still my brothers. That I still talk to and I don’t talk to. Not just Kevin. There’s many guys that have come in and out of Oklahoma City that I’ve gained a relationship with that maybe you guys don’t know about, but I think obviously with me and Kevin it’s a little bigger stage. It happens.”
Will Westbrook and Durant ever reconcile?
“I’m not sure,” Westbrook said. “It’s not really up to me, honestly.”
Durant and the Warriors will play in Oklahoma City on Saturday night for the first time since his departure. You can clearly see how big a deal it is just by looking at what’s been happening at the team hotel.
