The Oklahoma City Thunder is currently home to a talented young core led by Shai-Gilgeous Alexander. Many expect the current OKC team to compete for an NBA Championship for the foreseeable future.
Well, the Thunder fanbase is undoubtedly taking a trip down memory lane. After all, more than a decade ago, OKC had three future Hall of Famers on the roster. The trio of Kevin Durant , Russell Westbrook, and James Harden were once teammates.
One would expect the three legends to win multiple NBA Championships. Still, the closest they came to it was in 2012 when they suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Miami Heat. Despite never reaching their true potential together, no one can deny their impact on the fanbase.
Bill Simmons on KD-Russ-Harden trio
In 2012, Durant and Brodie were 23 years old, while the Beard was 22. Despite not even being in the prime of their respective careers, they had a huge impact on the crowd.
Renowned NBA analyst Bill Simmons shared his experience attending a regular-season game in the Paycom Center. Simmons wrote an interesting piece about the same for Grantland back in 2012.
"You know what burned out? My eardrums," Simmons wrote. "My head is still ringing. This wasn't just a show for the Finals. I flew to Oklahoma City for a regular-season game 18 months ago; they brought it that night, too."
While fans tend to go all-out during the playoffs, the same level of intensity is usually absent during the regular season. However, Simmons said the OKC Thunder crowd supporting the KD-Russ-Harden trio was different.
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Why did Durant, Westbrook, and Harden break up?
Even though the Thunder lost against the Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals, they could have defeated them in the future. But for that to happen, the organization had to retain its stars.
So, why did the OKC trio break up? Well, it's pretty simple: The Thunder was unwilling to meet Harden's financial expectations. The Beard had won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award in 2012 and unsurprisingly wanted a better extension.
As a result, the Arizona product was traded to the Houston Rockets. In hindsight, it was the best decision for the electric guard, as he exploded as a player and had the best years of his career. However, at the time, the news shattered the 10x NBA All-Star.
"I was almost in tears," James said . "Me and Russell knew each other from when we played at the Boys and Girls Club together as kids. Me and Kevin hung out like every day. We were young, we hung out, we were really, really good friends."
Right now, Harden is a member of the Los Angeles Clippers, entering the twilight years of his career. The 34-year-old star has enjoyed a lot of individual success but still hasn't been able to lift the glorious Larry O'Brien trophy.
Related: Gilbert Arenas says OKC gave up on KD, Russ, Harden trio too soon: "If James stays, there's probably no Golden State dynasty"
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