Getty MIAMI, FL - JUNE 21: (L-R) James Harden #13, Serge Ibaka #9, Kevin Durant #35, Kendrick Perkins #5 and Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder stand on court against the Miami Heat in Game Five of the 2012 NBA Finals on June 21, 2012 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Back in January, Kendrick Perkins tweeted that he thought Russell Westbrook was “the best player to have ever put on a Oklahoma City Thunder jersey” and called Westbrook “Mr. Thunder.”
In about 30 minutes I’m going to give my opinion on @SportsCenter on why Believe that Russell Westbrook is the best player to have ever put on a Oklahoma City Thunder Jersey!!! He is MR. THUNDER!!!
Perkins played for the Oklahoma City Thunder for four seasons from 2010-2014
Kevin Durant, now a member of the Brooklyn Nets offered his opinion to Perkins’ assessment by calling out Perkins’ production with the Thunder, by stating: “Yea and our starting center @KendrickPerkins averaged a whopping 2 and 3 during that series. U played hard tho champ lol”
Perkins replied to Durant by critiquing Durant’s decision to leave Oklahoma City for Golden State by stating:
“Boy stop you did the weakest move in NBA History!!! Up on a team 3-1 in the western conference finals and then go join them the following season?! Heart of Champion right there.”
@KDTrey5 @Marc_DAmico @SportsCenter That’s fine!!! You worked that hard and still had to go join a 73-9 team. Truth be told you don’t even feel like a real Champ, you have hard time sleeping at night huh knowing that you took the coward way out!!!
Perkins and Durant’s dialogue continued back then in January and it carried over this month when Perkins critiqued Durant’s new teammate, Kyrie Irving on television. In a discussion with me on the Scoop B Radio Podcast last night, Kendrick Perkins apologized to Irving: “At the time was it appropriate,” he said.
“Absolutely not. Now thinking back on it, no.
Kyrie in my eyes in my opinion, he’s confused. And he’s confused as a leader. I’m standing behind it.”
Since those comments, Kevin Durant has called Perkins a “sellout” via Instagram.
“If KD chooses not to be my friend, that’s on him,” Kendrick Perkins tells me.
“Because every other person that I befriended in the NBA, I’m still cool with to this day. I can still pick up the phone and call them.”
While on the Scoop B Radio Podcast, Perkins also revisited his commentary on Russell Westbrook. “He’s the GREATEST Oklahoma City player EVER,” Kendrick Perkins tells me.
“And here’s why. When you look at Russell Westbrook and the body of work that he’s put in during the time wearing a Thunder uniform is apples and oranges. I mean, he leads in every statistical category. Does that make him the best player ever to put on a jersey? No. That would be Kevin Durant. But Kevin Durant with his decision that he chose to leave, left the door open for Russ and he walked right on in, and he embraced that opportunity. So he leads the organization in points, rebounds, assists, steals, minutes played, games played all the above. So when you think of Thunder basketball, how can you not think of him?”
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Kevin Durant ‘Greatest Player’ to Wear Thunder Jersey Says Kendrick Perkins