The most noteworthy feud in the NBA has to be that of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
After playing together for eight seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant opted to join the Golden State Warriors in free agency this past summer.
The Thunder and Warriors have squared off four times this season, with Golden State sweeping the series in convincing fashion. There certainly have been fireworks between the two sides throughout the season, though, including scuffles, trolling and angered players.
But while there is natural tension between Durant and Westbrook, the bad blood might not be as strong as fans think. Speaking on Bill Simmons’ podcast Friday, Durant explained the media has played a big role in adding fuel to the fire.
“I mean, we spent some time together and I understand like, who I left to go to and what happened, and all this stuff,” Durant told Simmons, as transcribed by SportingNews. “And then, on top of that, I don’t really 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 this beef we have, which is all manufactured.”
We can only imagine how the feud will develop if the Western Conference-leading Warriors march all the way to an NBA championship this summer.
Thumbnail photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images
