If there was any tension between Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook during the 2015-16 season, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan didn't notice it.
Following his departure during free agency this summer, reports surfaced that indicated Durant was frustrated with Westbrook last year - a rumor the seven-time All-Star has since denied. Donovan echoed Durant's previous comments on Friday, stating that the two appeared to have a great relationship with one another.
"I think with Russell and Kevin, both of those guys wanted to win at a very high level and I think they had a really good relationship," Donovan said on "The Vertical Podcast with Woj." "I don’t think there’s any question about that. I think being able to talk to those guys, being able to bring both of them in together, being able to communicate with both of them, I thought from my experience I never had any situations where I thought ‘jeez, we’ve got a problem here this week. These two guys are on two ends of the spectrum and they’re refusing to work together.’ That never happened at all. I think those two guys really wanted to compete and win at the highest of levels."
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Even if the two shared a good relationship last season, there appears to be a degree of tension between them now. Durant freely admitted last month that their relationship would "never be the same," and Westbrook went as far as to delete his former teammate's goodbye text.
Whether the rumors are true or not, the hearsay has created a great deal of hype heading into next season, as even the most casual NBA fan will almost certainly be tuning in to watch the first matchup between the two.
