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The interview between Draymond Green and Kevin Durant has been on the minds of NBA fans ever since it was out on Wednesday. A lot of them even compared it to the late great Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neale's interview that took place a few years ago.
Both these player-only interviews had one thing in common. They openly spoke about the issues they have had in the past that fans eagerly wanted to be narrated by the stars themselves.
Kobe and Shaq spoke about their internal feuds during their time together with the LA Lakers, while Durant and Green dissected their infamous argument that took place three years back when the former was still with the Golden State Warriors.
Those particular topics the players touched upon were a highlight for fans who now wish to see more NBA duos do these kinds of one-on-one interviews.
On that note, let's take a look at five such duos in the NBA (active players) who should sit down and interview each other.
#5 Chris Paul and Blake Griffin
Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were among the most successful teammates in the NBA. They have never enjoyed positive results in the postseason as such, but their regular-season exploits with the LA Clippers continue to be rated highly to date.
The LA Clippers, nicknamed 'Lob City' back during the Chris Paul-Blake Griffin era, are probably one of the best championship-caliber teams that never ended up winning a ring in the NBA.
Despite the weight the team carried, many reports in the past have suggested that the LA Clippers did not have a great bond off the court. It was also believed to be a major reason behind their failure in not winning an NBA championship.
Chris Paul and Blake Griffin had their own issues as well. The two reportedly had internal rifts, mainly because they both wanted to be leaders of the team. Since then, both players have played for different franchises and spoken about their 'Lob-City' days in separate interviews.
It would be interesting to see the two potential Hall of Famers sit down for a one-on-one interview and reflect on what could have been had they been on the same page during their time together in LA.
#4 Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden
The feud between Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden has been one of the most intriguing ones in recent memory. The former MVPs had a lot to say about each other's game early in 2020, especially around the NBA All-Star weekend that season. The two battled hard to win the NBA MVP award a year before that, which Giannis ended up winning by a huge margin.
Harden wasn't too impressed with that as he had a record-breaking season that year, during which he averaged 36.1 and 7.5 assists per game. He was unhappy with the way the voters favored Antetokounmpo, who led his team from 14th to 4th seed, while Harden produced a season for the ages, and there was barely any support for him.
While Giannis didn't have anything to say immediately, he made sure he didn't let an opportunity pass by during the 2020 NBA All-Star draft. He was the second-leading vote-getter that year and was involved in the draft along with LeBron James.
LeBron and Giannis drafted the starters for their respective teams, and in the end, there were only three guards left, James Harden, Trae Young and Kemba Walker.
Giannis had a pick to make and surprisingly, he claimed he was confused between picking Walker and Young. When asked about the reason behind not picking Harden, he said he wanted a passer on his team, taking a dig at Harden and subtly hinting he doesn't think of him as a team player.
Harden hit back later on and went on to say that Giannis did not have much skill. In an exclusive with ESPN weeks after the NBA All-Star weekend, Harden said:
“I wish I could be 7 feet and run and just dunk. Like that takes no skill at all. I gotta actually learn how to play basketball and how to have skill.”
While he did not name Giannis, it was pretty evident he was referring to him.
It would be interesting to see what the two players would have to say to each other if they ever sit down in a one-on-one interview.
#3 Stephen Curry and LeBron James
Stephen Curry and LeBron James had one of the most intense on-court rivalries in the last decade. The two players went head-to-head in four straight NBA Finals matchups between 2015 and 2018. They are widely regarded as two of the biggest superstars in the league. Fans will be keen to see the two discuss the magnitude of their battles over the last decade.
James and Curry are now playing in the same conference, so the two former MVPs facing off in an NBA Finals matchup again seem slim at the moment. However, they could be involved in a fierce battle this postseason. The LA Lakers have revamped their squad, while the Golden State Warriors will see Klay Thompson return.
They will kickstart the 2021-22 NBA season as well, with the NBA announcing a Lakers-Warriors matchup for the opening day of the 75th league campaign.
#2 Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant
The OKC Thunder had one of the best tandems in the NBA at one stage, with prime Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant both on their team together. The duo led the Thunder to great heights during that stint. They made the NBA Finals in 2012 and also made several conference finals appearances.
Kevin Durant left the Thunder for the Golden State Warriors in 2016, though, and rumors of a rift between Westbrook and him followed. The duo even engaged in a war of words when they played against each other during Durant's first game back against his old team on the road.
It all seems to have settled now after the two players were seen greeting each other before a pre-season game in December 2020. There's still a lot of time before the two players draw the curtains on their career, though. They are also expected to meet in the NBA Finals this year if the LA Lakers and Brooklyn Nets end up winning their conference titles, as many expect them to.
Several NBA fans, especially OKC Thunder fans, would crave to see the two sit down and talk about their feud that did exist for a brief period of time post KD's move to the Warriors.
#1 Kyrie Irving and LeBron James
Kyrie Irving and LeBron James formed one of the best teams in the NBA when they played together for the Cleveland Cavaliers between 2014 and 2017. The duo reached the NBA Finals in each of those three seasons, winning the title in 2016 after overturning a 1-3 deficit against the Golden State Warriors.
Irving eventually left the Cavs after 2017 because he wanted to don the role of a leader. It was almost impossible to do that on the Cavs with a player of LeBron James' stature around.
Irving mentioned on Kevin Durant's podcast that he felt he was the only option for his previous teams down the stretch. Irving added that he felt his Brooklyn Nets teammate Durant was the only clutch teammate he has ever had in the NBA.
James responded to these comments on 'The Road Trippin Podcast'. LeBron said he felt "hurt" by Irving's comments and all he wanted was to see Kyrie become the MVP of the league. He added that they could never align but still ended up winning a championship together.
Since then, the duo haven't been seen speaking to each other or even greeting each other before or after games. Irving even trash-talked LeBron James in their most recent game against each other in February.
A one-on-one sit-down between the two stars would be the closest to the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neale interview. Akin to the LA Lakers duo, LeBron and Kyrie also won a chip together despite not being on the same page.
Guess the Lakers players!
