As the GOAT of the NBA, Micheal Jordan is unsurprisingly still the face of the league. He even owns a franchise, no matter how mediocre the Charlotte Hornets are. On Thursday, Jordan had the opportunity to induct Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. During his speech, Jordan spoke on Westbrook’s loyalty to his team and the city.
He said, “Another thing you guys should be proud of is the sense of loyalty this kid has shown. He could’ve easily come to Charlotte…But he decided to stay here in Oklahoma. I’m not here to try and bash anybody that’s not here. Everybody has a choice. I’m not saying everybody doesn’t have a choice. But when I saw he chose to stay in Oklahoma I was so proud, and as Clay [Bennett] knows and Russ know, I texted him to show a sense of respect.” While Jordan said the comments were not mean to bash someone else, I think we all know he was referring to Kevin Durant who signed with the Warriors this offseason.
What’s ironic is Westbrook spoke at Durant’s HOF induction last year. Since Durant’s departure, he has continued to fuel the fire about the status of his relationship with Westbrook. Not only is it extremely petty, but if he believed he was “so much” better in Golden State, why even bother making comments? However, Jordan’s comments add another layer of “depth” to this situation, because he’s making it so obvious he is talking about Durant.
In comparison to Durant, Westbrook signed a deal with the Thunder this offseason. It will keep him in Oklahoma City until 2018 when he will hit the free agency market. Since signing the extension, Westbrook has been playing at a much higher level and is making a case for being league MVP. There’s also a possibility the team could make their way back into the playoffs.
Westbrook is one of the most dominant players right now, especially without Durant. His loyalty to his city is definitely commendable and speaks more about him as a person. It’s up for debate if we would be having the same conversation if Durant will still around.
