Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George spoke about his connection with Russell Westbrook as the two leaders of this team, giving a small window into how his personality is often misperceived in front of the media:

“I think Russ is honestly just as normal as anybody else. I think anything he does is just amplified, and you know, if anybody knows Russ on a personal level, you know that he's as real as it gets,” said George, according to ESPN's Royce Young. “He's 100 percent. He's as pure as a person that you can find. If you're watching him from afar, you might mistake that for him being a certain type of way. But honestly, man, he's one of the best human beings I've ever been a part of. I had a choice and a decision to go anywhere I wanted to in my career, and I chose to come back here. I mean, come on, that says a lot on its own, what kind of person Russ is.”

Westbrook has often come across as unfriendly to the media and a character who lets his emotions overtake him, whether it is in a game, on social media or in front of reporters who look for answers after some dubitable performances.

George was asked if at times his association with Westbrook puts him in a bad spot during his interactions with the media or others alike:

“(Laughing) I just — I mean, it's a tough position to be in because I know being around him, like I know where it's coming from. Like it just doesn't come off the right way,” said George of his friendship with Westbrook. “But I know where it's coming from. You know, he's a guy of principles. Everything is does is off principles. He's going to take care of himself and he's going to look out for himself, and that's what you've got to love about him, to be honest.”

Most recently, George took on Westbrook's famed “next question” during press conferences, giving the media a feeling that the plague had started to expand. George, however, has always been forthcoming and media-friendly, which made his post-Game 4 antics all the more puzzling.