Durant, Ibaka and Westbrook have a clique

[JohnMax]

Jackson's OKC exit a long time coming (http://espn.go.com/blog/okc-thunder/post/_/id/324/jacksons-okc-exit-a-long-time-coming)

In the locker room, the divide was growing. Injuries to Durant were keeping the team from finding a rhythm, and without the band-aid of winning to heal wounds, the Thunder's chemistry was suffering. The cliquish aspect was impossible not to notice. Jackson, Perry Jones and Jeremy Lamb all had lockers together on one side; Durant, Westbrook and Ibaka were on the other. Jackson, Lamb and Jones are close, shooting pregame together and often leaving the arena together. All three had also fallen out of favor with Brooks.

[navy]

Ish's residential TMZ source with the inside scoop.

[Im so nba'd out]

Jackson spoke at shootaround that morning, coyly saying he probably wouldn't play that night(due to ankle injury). Immediately after finishing his interview session, he grabbed a ball and threw down an impressive drop-step windmill dunk -- in front of reporters and his teammates. Remember: This was when the Thunder were piecing together a roster without Durant and Westbrook, and only had eight active players available.



ALPHA AS ****!

I could just picture this."Im sorry I will be unable to play in tonights game.Thats all the questions i can answer for now excuse me"

http://38.media.tumblr.com/1c14b97bc53f8e704be333d9b289c305/tumblr_mrchu89qda1sta92oo1_250.gif

[Fudge]

JohnMax lowkey tries to be the worst poster on this board.

[JohnMax]

That "missed dap" gif with Westbrook and Lamb takes on a completely different tone after this article. I thought Westbrook was playing with that stare down. Now I think Lamb was in danger of getting throat punched.

http://giant.gfycat.com/PortlyMilkyBluebird.gif

[buddha]

Westbrook was about to rip that faux nikkas eyes out!

[Heavincent]

That "missed dap" gif with Westbrook and Lamb takes on a completely different tone after this article. I thought Westbrook was playing with that stare down. Now I think Lamb was in danger of getting throat punched.

http://giant.gfycat.com/PortlyMilkyBluebird.gif

da brodie would kick Westbrook's ass.

[J Shuttlesworth]

So Jackson wanted out to prove he's worth money when he's a free agent? Put up or shut up little boy. This is your chance

[Im so nba'd out]

http://giant.gfycat.com/PortlyMilkyBluebird.gif
Rus better never try that shit with Dion thats all imma say.Team Doctors will be needed ASAP to drag Russell's carcass to the emergency room

[navy]

Ibaka doesnt even speak English

[Budadiiii]

That "missed dap" gif with Westbrook and Lamb takes on a completely different tone after this article. I thought Westbrook was playing with that stare down. Now I think Lamb was in danger of getting throat punched.

http://giant.gfycat.com/PortlyMilkyBluebird.gif
Painfully awkward.

Almost feel bad for Lamb there. The way he tries to turn his head and play it off.. :facepalm

Perfect example of an alpha vs. beta situation.

[T_L_P]

Painfully awkward.

Almost feel bad for Lamb there. The way he tries to turn his head and play it off.. :facepalm

Perfect example of an alpha vs. beta situation.

Another example:

https://uproxx.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/61e05-3.gif

[J Shuttlesworth]

This was the most beta thing I've seen in basketball. The ref felt so bad he had to let him do it again

http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3931087/parkerft.gif

[Budadiiii]

Another example:

https://uproxx.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/61e05-3.gif
http://ww3.hdnux.com/photos/30/04/50/6310414/3/960x540.jpg

http://usatthebiglead.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/russell-westbrook-thunderous-slam-b.gif

[Dragic4Life]

What is this? Highschool?:oldlol: :lol :facepalm

[Thunderfan86]

I'm high as fvck right now my nikka :pimp:

[Budadiiii]

What is this? Highschool?:oldlol: :lol :facepalm
Brings back painful memories, ey?

Chunk change. :pimp:

[AboutBuckets]

Brings back painful memories, ey?

Chunk change. :pimp:

Highest education level he ever got to

[Cowboy Thunder]

Winning clique is ftw

[IGOTGAME]

Its just bad leadership. OKC doesnt get the most out of their players and its partly on Durant.

As much as Smush hated Kobe, Smush played his best ball by far with Kobe.

[Budadiiii]

Its just bad leadership. OKC doesnt get the most out of their players and its partly on Durant.

As much as Smush hated Kobe, Smush played his best ball by far with Kobe.
What an idiotic post. Jackson is the one who wants to be starter.

Durant's leadership is incredible. Waiters felt alienated in Cleveland yet now he says he feels welcomed and comfortable.

How stupid are you, seriously? Durant/Westbrook are all about the team. Jackson was all about himself so that's why the divide happened. If you're not all in for the team and are willing to sacrifice day in and day like KD/Russ, then you don't fit in with the Thunder culture. You just don't get it.

[IGOTGAME]

What an idiotic post. Jackson is the one who wants to be starter.

Durant's leadership is incredible. Waiters felt alienated in Cleveland yet now he says he feels welcomed and comfortable.

How stupid are you, seriously? Durant/Westbrook are all about the team. Jackson was all about himself so that's why the divide happened. If you're not all in for the team and are willing to sacrifice day in and day like KD/Russ, then you don't fit in with the Thunder culture. You just don't get it.

A leader is supposed to get everyone on the same page. You make him feel valuable and part of something special. KD wasn't able to do that and the fact that there is bad blood makes it even worst.

Jackson can think he wants to be a starter but a good leader gets him to produce and be a positive while he is still with OKC. A great leader convinces him that being a sixth man here is better than being a starter.

[Budadiiii]

A leader is supposed to get everyone on the same page. You make him feel valuable and part of something special. KD wasn't able to do that and the fact that there is bad blood makes it even worst.

Jackson can think he wants to be a starter but a good leader gets him to produce and be a positive while he is still with OKC. A great leader convinces him that being a sixth man here is better than being a starter.
Why couldn't Kobe make it work with Shaq and Dwight? Why is Pau flourishing in Chicago?

Everybody is on the same page. There will always be a selfish guy in the locker room no matter how great the leadership is. I don't think you know what you're talking about or you just haven't been paying enough to OKC over the years. Westbrook/Durant are incredible leaders. It's common knowledge to anyone who knows what good leadership is.

Why couldn't LeBron make Waiters comfortable? He's a bad leader according to you.

[Cowboy Thunder]

Why couldn't LeBron make Waiters comfortable? He's a bad leader according to you.

Got em coach

[IGOTGAME]

Why couldn't Kobe make it work with Shaq and Dwight? Why is Pau flourishing in Chicago?

Everybody is on the same page. There will always be a selfish guy in the locker room no matter how great the leadership is. I don't think you know what you're talking about or you just haven't been paying enough to OKC over the years. Westbrook/Durant are incredible leaders. It's common knowledge to anyone who knows what good leadership is.

Why couldn't LeBron make Waiters comfortable? He's a bad leader according to you.

Kobe did make it work with Shaq. They won 3 titles.

LA wasn't Dwights best option. Kobe just tore his achieves and Nash was done.

Pau is flourishing in Chicago because he has a good team around him. In LA he was counted on to do too much and could not bear that load. But we shouldnt forget that his best basketball was played with Kobe. Lets also not forget the guy who force fed Pau the ball through adversity. Kobe and Pau played great together.

Can't confuse over the hill Kobe with shit team with Prime Kobe. Especially since we are talking about prime Durant.

Skillset-wise Waiter didnt fit. Also, Lebron is a really good but not great leader because he is a front runner. Jackson was a decent enough fit in OKC but the issue was more getting him to fall in line.

[Budadiiii]

Kobe did make it work with Shaq. They won 3 titles.

LA wasn't Dwights best option. Kobe just tore his achieves and Nash was done.

Pau is flourishing in Chicago because he has a good team around him. In LA he was counted on to do too much and could not bear that load. But we shouldnt forget that his best basketball was played with Kobe. Lets also not forget the guy who force fed Pau the ball through adversity. Kobe and Pau played great together.

Can't confuse over the hill Kobe with shit team with Prime Kobe. Especially since we are talking about prime Durant.

Skillset-wise Waiter didnt fit. Also, Lebron is a really good but not great leader because he is a front runner. Jackson was a decent enough fit in OKC but the issue was more getting him to fall in line.
A lot of excuses and no real explanation. You're a Durant troll. Got it.

Why is Jackson the only guy who had trouble falling in line? Explain it to me please. No one else has trouble and all the other players praise Durant's leadership. The coach of the Knicks, Derek Fisher, praised Duran't leadership. He knows more about leadership than you.

[KG215]

Kobe did make it work with Shaq. They won 3 titles.

LA wasn't Dwights best option. Kobe just tore his achieves and Nash was done.

Pau is flourishing in Chicago because he has a good team around him. In LA he was counted on to do too much and could not bear that load. But we shouldnt forget that his best basketball was played with Kobe. Lets also not forget the guy who force fed Pau the ball through adversity. Kobe and Pau played great together.

Can't confuse over the hill Kobe with shit team with Prime Kobe. Especially since we are talking about prime Durant.

Skillset-wise Waiter didnt fit. Also, Lebron is a really good but not great leader because he is a front runner. Jackson was a decent enough fit in OKC but the issue was more getting him to fall in line.
You're making a lot of excuses for one guy, excuses that could apply to the other guy, but instead those "excuses" are actually "reasons" why Durant is a bad leader?

I'm not saying Kobe or LeBron or anyone else is a bad leader, but the one example you're using to call Durant a bad leader is something you nit/cherry pick for a number of other recent and past great players. Jackson came into the season with his mind made up that he wanted to be a starter. This isn't something that just started to develop recently. Jackson said he wanted to be a starter back in September or October and his attitude got worse and his play deteriorated. I'm not sure how Durant or Russ either one are supposed to magically fix it when Jackson clearly had his mind made up coming into the season he wanted a bigger role.

What about all the comments Waiters has made since being traded to OKC about how much more relaxed, and welcome, and a part of the team he feels with the Thunder opposed to how he felt in Cleveland? Does that not mean anything to you? My point is, regardless of what we perceive as good or bad leadership, there's always going to be instances where players don't mesh for a variety of reasons and you can't just automatically write it off as "bad leadership."

[protox]

What about all the comments Waiters has made since being traded to OKC about how much more relaxed, and welcome, and a part of the team he feels with the Thunder opposed to how he felt in Cleveland?

Because Thunders aren't contenders. :lol

[Lebronxrings]

what great leadership.

[dubeta]

what great leadership.

This,

why alienate your locker room :facepalm

People complain about OKC playing iso ball, but its hard to actually run an offense when you don't even ingratiate yourself with your teammates

[Budadiiii]

This,

why alienate your locker room :facepalm

People complain about OKC playing iso ball, but its hard to actually run an offense when you don't even ingratiate yourself with your teammates
Autism speaks.

[dubeta]

Autism speaks.

Speaking from experience?

Keep following me around, boy :applause:

No one gives you attention in real life so your only purpose is trying to be associated with me, even though it leads to constant mental abuse and humiliation.