Kevin Durant Says People Want Him and LeBron James to Hate Each Other


Fierce rivals on the basketball floor, off-the-court friends (and workout buddies.) That’s the relationship that Kevin Durant and LeBron James have. According to KD, people on the outside looking in wish the two hated each other, which isn’t likely to happen. From the Oklahoman: “I know there is someone, somewhere, trying to take my spot,’ James said in [Sports Illustrated]. ‘And I know where he is, too. He’s in Oklahoma. He’s my inspiration because I see the direction he’s headed, and it’s the same direction I’m headed. I know his mind-set, and he knows mine. It’s a collision course. We’re driving one another.’ Durant shared his reaction after practice Thursday: ‘Well, I really appreciate that comment because people want us to hate each other so bad. That’s true. People want us to hate each other. I really respect him and I really compete against him hard — him and Kobe (Bryant). I play against those guys, they’re the guys who I’m looking at, who I want to get to, and I compete against those guys really, really hard, but we’re friends. We’re friends, everybody knows that. Once you get on that court and you’re playing against one of your friends, you play to win no matter what. Sometimes he might get the best of you, I might get the best of him one time. But I really respect him (James) and that’s cool that he thinks of me that way and I’ve just got to keep working hard to continue to get better.'”