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EDMOND, OK – OCTOBER 1: Serge Ibaka #9, Russell Westbrook #0, James Harden #13 and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder pose for a portrait during 2012 NBA Media Day on October 1, 2012 at the Thunder Events Center in Edmond, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2011 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
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EDMOND, OK – OCTOBER 1: Serge Ibaka #9, Russell Westbrook #0, James Harden #13 and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder pose for a portrait during 2012 NBA Media Day on October 1, 2012 at the Thunder Events Center in Edmond, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2011 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)
If Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden were in the same team today, NBA fans would almost definitely call them a super team. Some NBA fans do not know that this trio has already had a stint in the NBA Finals when they were on the same team. Surprisingly, the Oklahoma City Thunder drafted these three legends into the NBA. However, they failed to convert their primes into NBA championships for the Thunder. They could only go as far as winning individual MVP awards, but the franchise never went all the way.
And now, Harden and Durant have teamed up again, while Westbrook plays for the Lakers and the Thunder are rebuilding. This trio is still on contending teams, with Westbrook and Harden looking for their first NBA Championship ring. However, this does not mean that they did not have any crucial takeaways from their time at the Thunder. Kevin Durant even admitted that James Harden’s stint with the OKC gave him crucial fundamentals for his stellar career.
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Durant reveals what James Harden learned from his time with OKC
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“I think he was groomed right in OKC,” Durant told The Athletic. “(It) taught him about the business of basketball, talking about what winning meant. We went to the Finals, and we were expected to win every game. So that is a blessing to have that coming into the league. A lot of high picks like him go to losing teams and build a losing mentality. So, he learned what it takes to win, and he used that to catapult him into being a superstar.”
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Aug. 12, 2012 – London, England, United Kingdom – Team USA basketball gold medal winners including LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Deron Williams, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kobe Bryant, and Anthony Davis pose for photos after their game against Spain during the 2012 London Summer Olympics. ((Photo by Mark Makela/Corbis via Getty Images)
What does this mean for Russell Westbrook and James Harden’s legacy?
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Some fans fear to this day that Harden and Westbrook may never win an NBA championship. Whereas Durant had to team up with the greatest backcourt in the NBA to get his rings. So now that Durant and Harden are on the same team again, could Harden end his ring-less woes? However, Westbrook has also formed a super team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis at the Lakers. So can he finally end his championship ring draught? Let us know what you think about it.
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