I looked at so many guys with when they got injured and how they came back, when they were wrote off. I feel like a lot of people wrote me off because I didn’t finish the year. I think when Russell came back he finished the year off, so everyone thought, ok, he’s back. So it was a little different. But I looked at it, when you have someone that’s walking next to you every day that went through three surgeries and bounced back so quick, didn’t miss a bit, it’s like, yeah, I can do the same thing. I know our bodies are built differently, he’s a different mold athletically and physically. But we have the same work ethic and mindset, so if he can do it, I can, too. Seeing someone like that, It made it easier. Well, it didn’t make the days easier or the process, but there was that sense that at the end of the day, if I keep going, at the end I can be like that.

Is there a moment, story, on-court or off-court, that you think back on and it really strengthened your friendship?

Yeah, I remember when I had some problems with my family, (Kendrick Perkins) and him were the guys I’d call and just vent to and talk to. I say this because me and my family are great now. We’re in a good spot. But there’s times where this life is real. We make a lot of money to take care of our family, but that doesn’t mask all our problems. It may mask some, but it doesn’t take them away. I was having problems with my family and I needed someone I could relate to and Russell and Perk were there. They were guys I leaned on. They told me to just keep my head up, words of encouragement. Me and Russ had talked about that stuff, but it wasn’t as in depth. Then when I was vulnerable to him, it was like, yeah, this is someone I can lean on. It showed me a different side of him. Since then, we’ve been really tight. There’s times where we go at it. There’s times I don’t like what he’s doing out on the court, there’s times where he hates what I’m doing out on the court. There’s times where it’s Russ, you gotta control your attitude or KD, you gotta stop, you gotta speak up, whatever. There’s times we cuss each other out, but that’s a part of being brothers. Because I know if I need something, he’ll be there and if I need to talk to someone outside of basketball, he’ll be there. It’s a real brotherhood type relationship. We're like family.

Was his wedding this summer cool? I remember you mentioned at Media Day it was a like, wow, you’re really growing up type of moment.