The relationship between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant might be deteriorating as the days go on. They were once perceived to be best friends but stories are coming out revealing the true nature of their partnership. It was nothing more than a ‘work friendship’.
But before their relationship went to the toilet, there were rumblings of some possible disdain for each other. One big thing people missed was a Russell Westbrook Instagram from the 4th of July. Most viewed it as a shot to celebrate the holiday but it oddly was posted the same day that Kevin Durant made his decision to join the Warriors.
Sports Illustrated’s Lee Jenkins sheds some light on the photo, which was once deemed as harmless. Russ wasn’t just enjoying a delicious baked good, he was sending a message to Durant, thanks to an old Kendrick Perkins phrase.
Westbrook and Durant were not best buds, but they were peerless partners, a souped-up Stockton and Malone, transporting a mini market to the big time. Westbrook’s closest friends are actually former high school teammates, long-standing wing men like Donnell Beverly and Demetrius (Juice) Deason, who flank him in summer pickup games and play dominoes with him on the Fourth. “He didn’t talk much about what happened,” says Beverly. Westbrook didn’t disparage Durant. He didn’t judge him. All he did was take a picture. When Kendrick Perkins played center for the Thunder, he called teammates “cupcake” if he thought they were acting a little soft. Westbrook and Durant adopted the term in jest. Westbrook posted a bittersweet pic on Instagram: three plates of cupcakes topped by red and blue stars and sprinkles.
Jenkins is not one to question on this kind of thing, trust his words. Perkins does have a close relationship with Westbrook and Durant so this being a phrase that Kendrick says in the locker room is not farfetched. Plus, as James Herbert of CBS Sports notes, this is not a new thing. This cupcake thing is something both KD and Perkins tweeted about on a number of occasions.
The real issue here is that we all just saw this picture and viewed it as a random picture to celebrate the holidays. It appears that it’s actually more than just a delicous snack but a subtle shot sent towards his former teammate.
