[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcBKYCsejn4]
Just like fans may have felt when they saw Paul George was being interviewed by comedian Kevin Hart, the former Thunder player was surprised when Oklahoma City came up as a trade destination in 2017.
“OKC honestly came out the blue,” George said on Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Network interview posted to YouTube in late June.
My agent called me like, ‘I think, I think you’re going to go to Oklahoma.’ It (expletive) me up.”
In the weeks leading up to the trade, the Thunder weren’t widely considered as a destination. There was speculation that the Boston Celtics could add George, and the Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly explored deals that would include a third team, including the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns.
Oklahoma City swooped in, offering Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. Even in the aftermath, David Aldridge called it a “stunner.”
George clarified that his shock when he found out should not be taken as an insult to Oklahoma City.
“No knock on Oklahoma, but I’d been in Indy in seven years, and Indy is lowkey, it’s quiet, and I didn’t think it could get more quieter than there,” he said.
When he started thinking about the team he’d be on — specifically, with the MVP — George began to get excited.
“I was happy about it though, because I knew the opportunity to play with Russ,” he said. “Immediately, it was let’s go, I’m hyped about this.”
The two All-Stars became close over the next two years. George said Russell Westbrook was the first one he called when he knew the trade to the Los Angeles Clippers was going to go through.
“I love Russ as a brother,” George said.
“That was the first phone call after I had word of what was going on and the possibility of leaving … He supported me 100%. We talked it out, and we made moves necessary to go elsewhere.”
George and Hart talk about the NBA return and the star’s time with the Pacers, expectations with the Los Angeles Clippers and a painting George has of himself with Kobe Bryant the scorer’s table during the 2016 All-Star Game in Bryant’s final season.
The rest of the published interview can be found on the LOL Network’s YouTube page.