{"id":2937,"date":"2016-08-05T03:27:39","date_gmt":"2016-08-05T08:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=2937"},"modified":"2017-07-08T13:05:55","modified_gmt":"2017-07-08T18:05:55","slug":"kevin-durant-on-russell-westbrook-as-long-as-he-wasnt-pressured","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?p=2937","title":{"rendered":"Kevin Durant on Russell Westbrook:  &#8220;As long as he wasn\u2019t pressured&#8230;.&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2942\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2942\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/?attachment_id=2942\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2942\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2942 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/709bec4b3a6adf272f57a3c9fa8b5cd7-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"709bec4b3a6adf272f57a3c9fa8b5cd7\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/709bec4b3a6adf272f57a3c9fa8b5cd7-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/709bec4b3a6adf272f57a3c9fa8b5cd7-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/709bec4b3a6adf272f57a3c9fa8b5cd7-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/709bec4b3a6adf272f57a3c9fa8b5cd7-473x315.jpg 473w, https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/709bec4b3a6adf272f57a3c9fa8b5cd7-90x60.jpg 90w, https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/709bec4b3a6adf272f57a3c9fa8b5cd7.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2942\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kevin Durant (Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6><strong>Russell Westbrook made his decision today. He will stay at Oklahoma City and play for &#8220;his&#8221; Thunder for the next two, three, and more likely, seven (yes, seven) years.\u00a0 His new contract extension could in time make him the highest paid player in the NBA.\u00a0 But that was not what caught my ear on this day of days for the OKC Thunder.\u00a0 What did was the second comments of the day by former Westbrook and Thunder team-mate, the\u00a0one named Kevin Durant. As we all know, &#8220;KD&#8221; took a different route this summer and signed a contract with the Golden State Warriors, a two year deal, guaranteeing his at least one year in the Bay area. Not much of a commitment, but yes, I understand his wanting to get a higher maximum contract next summer when he does his thing and chooses where he wants to play for that coming five year time period starting in 2017. That is another story.<\/strong><\/h6>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h6><strong>The following comments are telling, if you want my opinion, one of a non-practicing and non-trained psychologist.\u00a0 Durant&#8217;s comments:<\/strong><\/h6>\n<blockquote>\n<h6 class=\"canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)--sm Mt(0.8em)--sm canvas-atom\" style=\"margin: 0px 0px 1em; color: #26282a; text-transform: none; line-height: 24px; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: #ffffff; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;\" data-type=\"text\" data-reactid=\".yxzlmzrsvw.$tgtm-Col1-0-ContentCanvas.0.4.0:$3\"><strong><span style=\"color: #621663;\">\u201cI\u2019m happy to see any player in this league do whatever they want to do,\u201d Durant said. \u201cAs long as he wasn\u2019t pressured to do anything and felt like he did everything he wanted to do. And that\u2019s how I feel about every player in this league. It\u2019s good for him, man. It\u2019s good for his family. It\u2019s good for the people in Oklahoma City that love to watch him play and love to have him on their team.<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)--sm Mt(0.8em)--sm canvas-atom\" style=\"margin: 0px 0px 1em; color: #26282a; text-transform: none; line-height: 24px; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: #ffffff; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;\" data-type=\"text\" data-reactid=\".yxzlmzrsvw.$tgtm-Col1-0-ContentCanvas.0.4.0:$4\"><strong><span style=\"color: #621663;\">\u201cI got nothing but positive energy and vibes for everybody. I don\u2019t have no beef with anybody or wish no ill will on anybody. So if he did what he wanted to do, that\u2019s better. That\u2019s great for him.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h6 class=\"canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)--sm Mt(0.8em)--sm canvas-atom\" style=\"margin: 0px 0px 1em; color: #26282a; text-transform: none; line-height: 24px; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: #ffffff; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;\" data-type=\"text\" data-reactid=\".yxzlmzrsvw.$tgtm-Col1-0-ContentCanvas.0.4.0:$4\"><strong>Again, I was not educated as a psychologist, my area of study being teaching and educational administration.\u00a0 I did have to take a mandatory class in my studies at the university, educational psychology.\u00a0 But it is not a stretch to get somewhat deep into Kevin Durant&#8217;s comment above to think that this twentyish year old man is susceptible to voices from his inner circle, which have a significant bearing on his life altering decisions.<\/strong><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)--sm Mt(0.8em)--sm canvas-atom\" style=\"margin: 0px 0px 1em; color: #26282a; text-transform: none; line-height: 24px; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: #ffffff; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;\" data-type=\"text\" data-reactid=\".yxzlmzrsvw.$tgtm-Col1-0-ContentCanvas.0.4.0:$4\"><strong>Durant&#8217;s qualifying comment about making decisions. saying \u201cI\u2019m happy to see any player in this league do whatever they want to do&#8230;&#8230;..As long as he wasn\u2019t pressured to do anything and felt like he did everything he wanted to do&#8221;, cut to the point.\u00a0 The new Warrior, in making his move, emphasized\u00a0the\u00a0change of\u00a0scenery\u00a0as something he wanted to do, to be happy, to play with those he wanted to play with.\u00a0 In other words, Kevin Durant was trying to sell &#8220;himself&#8221; on the decision of his lifetime.\u00a0\u00a0A decision\u00a0that he just had to point out,\u00a0letting everyone\u00a0know\u00a0that it was &#8220;his&#8221; decision; and &#8220;he&#8221; wanted to be happy; and to play in Golden State would be great because he could hit the court with &#8220;his&#8221; kind of team-mates.\u00a0Not happy in Oklahoma Kevin, Westbrook and others on the Thunder not as lovable as\u00a0Draymond and Stephan, and Klay?\u00a0\u00a0And you were pressure free on\u00a0making the move?\u00a0 Bull hockey Kevin.\u00a0 Bull hockey.<\/strong><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)--sm Mt(0.8em)--sm canvas-atom\" style=\"margin: 0px 0px 1em; color: #26282a; text-transform: none; line-height: 24px; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: #ffffff; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;\" data-type=\"text\" data-reactid=\".yxzlmzrsvw.$tgtm-Col1-0-ContentCanvas.0.4.0:$4\"><strong>Add\u00a0Kevin Durant&#8217;s remarks today reinforces my contention\u00a0that Kevin did not\u00a0get what he hoped Russell got in making his decision, which was\u00a0consistent pressure of every one in his world.\u00a0 Poor Kevin.\u00a0\u00a0Yes, I\u00a0believe\u00a0KD thinks he made the right decision. He thinks.\u00a0 As for Westbrook?\u00a0\u00a0RW knows he made the right one.\u00a0 Just his unbridled enthusiasm today proved that.\u00a0Russell Westbrook is a truly happy man. And loyalty does make the heart happy.. Durant\u00a0continues to\u00a0show the face of an actor trying to justify his decision to leave OKC.\u00a0 Hell, Kevin, do you think Russell is going to make a decision that allowed others to pressure him?\u00a0 You know Kevin, Russell made his own mind up.\u00a0 But you Kevin, did not, did you?\u00a0 Mother, brother, father, agent, whomever, pressured you and your mind was changed at the last moment because of that pressure.<\/strong><\/h6>\n<h6 class=\"canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)--sm Mt(0.8em)--sm canvas-atom\" style=\"margin: 0px 0px 1em; color: #26282a; text-transform: none; line-height: 24px; text-indent: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; background-color: #ffffff; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;\" data-type=\"text\" data-reactid=\".yxzlmzrsvw.$tgtm-Col1-0-ContentCanvas.0.4.0:$4\"><strong>Let it be Mr. Durant.\u00a0 You can&#8217;t even give Westbrook a call? You can&#8217;t look him in the face?\u00a0 Hell, you don&#8217;t really want to confront your disloyalty you have shown\u00a0do you?\u00a0\u00a0Westbrook was a man you called brother.\u00a0Yes Kevin Durant, you were a great brother to Russell Westbrook.\u00a0Or were you?\u00a0 And did you do what you wanted, get what you wanted? Or was what you\u00a0got was actually what\u00a0your\u00a0Mom wanted for you? Or what your brother wanted for you?\u00a0\u00a0Your\u00a0handlers, such as the agent or Nike?\u00a0 I hope\u00a0you are\u00a0a happy man with all your new buddies and such on the in the Bay..\u00a0You say you made the decision. In any case,\u00a0don&#8217;t run to mother and give her what for if you have buyers remorse.. Keep it to yourself and try to be a man.<\/strong><\/h6>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_2937\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"2937\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Russell Westbrook made his decision today. He will stay at Oklahoma&#8230;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_2937\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"2937\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"far\" data-icon=\"chart-bar\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-chart-bar fa-w-16 fa-2x\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M396.8 352h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V108.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v230.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm-192 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V140.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v198.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zm96 0h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8V204.8c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v134.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8zM496 400H48V80c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16H16C7.16 64 0 71.16 0 80v336c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h464c8.84 0 16-7.16 16-16v-16c0-8.84-7.16-16-16-16zm-387.2-48h22.4c6.4 0 12.8-6.4 12.8-12.8v-70.4c0-6.4-6.4-12.8-12.8-12.8h-22.4c-6.4 0-12.8 6.4-12.8 12.8v70.4c0 6.4 6.4 12.8 12.8 12.8z\" class=\"\"><\/path><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[287,58,53,54],"class_list":["post-2937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","tag-golden-state-warriors","tag-kevin-durant","tag-oklahoma-city-thunder","tag-russell-westbrook"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":130,"today_views":0},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2937"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4538,"href":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2937\/revisions\/4538"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fredsportsextra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}