(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Looking back, it’s crazy — and sad — to think that Scott Brooks’ Oklahoma City Thunder couldn’t win an NBA championship together.
Putting together a team consisting of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden was almost impossible to even dream of, and the Thunders’ scouting department did an outstanding job there.
Add Serge Ibaka to that mix, and you had one of the best teams of all time, potentially.
They even made it to the NBA Finals, but their lack of experience hurt them when it mattered the most, crumbling under pressure against LeBron James and the Miami Heat’s Big 3.
That was their last opportunity to win together, as James Harden was later traded to the Houston Rockets and the rest is history.
So, now that Durant had another chance to play against his two most famous teammates, he raved about how special their time together was and how proud he was for all of them being able to have such long and successful careers in the league (via Tomer Azarly and ClutchPoints).
“We’re never gonna forget those moments we shared coming into the league… It was a special, special time that I always pull back from. I always loved playing with those guys so it’s good to see them have some success and still be in the league at 15, 16, 17 years in the league,” Durant said.
Kevin Durant on Russell Westbrook and James Harden:
“We’re never gonna forget those moments we shared coming into the league… It was a special, special time that I always pull back from. I always loved playing with those guys so it’s good to see them have some success and still… pic.twitter.com/AU5VnMo2Rh
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 9, 2024
All of them would go on to win Scoring Titles and MVP awards.
Durant was the only one able to get back to the NBA Finals and win a championship, and that’s always going to be a bit of a stain on Harden’s and Westbrook’s résumés.
It’s crazy to think how far they could’ve gotten if they had stayed together, but perhaps going their own ways allowed them to fulfill their true potentials, so it may have been a blessing in disguise.
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