Kevin Durant Clashed With Russell Westbrook Over Damian Lillard Bullying at OKC Thunder Reveals Bucks Star

Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard reveals that Kevin Durant clashed with Russell Westbrook over his attempts to bully Lillard during their time at OKC Thunder, shedding light on past tensions.

By Harshita Chawla

Published on Aug 24, 2024 | 01:34 AM IST | 98K

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were a dynamic duo during their time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, striking fear into the hearts of their opponents.

Together, they turned OKC into a powerhouse team. But recently, Damian Lillard shared an interesting story that reveals not everything was smooth between the two stars, especially when it came to how Westbrook treated opponents on the court.

Speaking on the Club 520 Podcast, Lillard recalled how Russell Westbrook had a habit of trying to intimidate him during games. Westbrook’s aggressive style of play was well-known, but according to Lillard, it often crossed the line into outright bullying. What’s more surprising is that Kevin Durant, Westbrook’s teammate at the time, wasn’t a fan of this behavior.

Lillard explained that in his first few years in the NBA, Westbrook would go out of his way to dominate him on the court. "My first five, six years, he was the bully," Lillard said. "It didn't matter if it was a big matchup, if somebody was hurt and he was playing against the backup, he didn't care. He tried to do it to everybody." Lillard shared how Westbrook would shoot at him relentlessly, to the point where Durant would get frustrated and tell Westbrook to pass the ball.

This kind of behavior from Westbrook didn’t sit well with Durant, who, as Lillard described, would visibly show his displeasure. Durant wasn’t one to support such an unsportsmanlike approach, and it often led to tension between the two teammates. Despite their success together, this difference in mindset created a noticeable rift.

Lillard also remembered how, as a rookie, he was on the receiving end of Westbrook’s intimidation tactics. The nine-time All-Star didn’t hold back, trying to outplay Lillard every chance he got.

But as Lillard grew more experienced, he began to take Westbrook’s actions personally. He realized that Westbrook’s aggression was deliberate, and that motivated him to push back just as hard. This shift in Lillard’s mindset led to more intense matchups between the two.

As Lillard matured as a player, he learned to stand his ground against Westbrook’s bullying. He started to match Westbrook’s intensity, going toe-to-toe with him in games. However, what stood out to Lillard was Durant’s contrasting approach.

Durant’s frustration with Westbrook’s behavior showed that he valued sportsmanship and didn’t support the idea of bullying other players, no matter how competitive the game was.

This story gives us a glimpse into the complex dynamics between Durant and Westbrook during their time with the Thunder. While they were an unstoppable force on the court, it’s clear that they had different views on how the game should be played. Durant’s disapproval of Westbrook’s tactics is a reminder that even the best teammates don’t always see eye to eye.

Long story short, Durant’s influence on Lillard, in particular, seems to have left a lasting impression even today. What do you think on these lines?

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