Thunder Fans Debate The Team’s Future At OKC's Fade N Up Barbershop

Rumors continue to swirl about Russell Westbrook's future with the Thunder franchise, after Paul George and Jerami Grant announced their departures this week. 

Some fans say they are starting to lose hope, and the best reflection of the community debate is found at Fade N Up barbershop on North May Avenue.

Corey “Scissorhands” Sutter always has the scoop, but even he was not expecting to lose the latest star player so soon.

“Two years later, he out of here,” Scissorhands said. “He went back home, but I ain’t mad at him. I’m just happy we have a team.”

Now nearly everyone inside his shop feels Russ is next, even his biggest fans.

Read Related Story: Trade Rumors Swirl Around Russell Westbrook

Westbrook fan Ryan Mukes sat on a shop bench during the debate and said to one barber, “When he needed a clutch shot, who did he give the ball to? PG! You even said that, so now you backtracking on what you say because you’re a hater!”

Steven “Chop” Adame responded while cutting a client, “Look up the numbers! The numbers don’t lie. Me and you lie. Numbers don’t lie!”

“You want me to look up numbers?” Mukes asked. “How does he average a triple-double for three seasons in a row.”

Down the row, barber Antonio Porter chimed in, “We don’t need no point guard that’s shooting the ball 41 times a game. We don’t.”

Scissorhands believes the blame for change falls on the organization, not Russ.

The shop owner remarked, “I’m the leader of my team, so if I got some barbers that can’t coexist with each other, it’s up to me to make sure it happens. It starts up top.”

But no fan can compare to Thunder Boy Wonder, who rapped his own song, “True Thunder fans Thunder Up no matter what. Thunder Up, Thunder Up!”

He just hopes the city remains loyal to the team.

“You either rolling or you folding,” said the Boy Wonder, “but me, I’m a straight stay holding, you see what I’m saying. Because I’m about this logo. When the lo-go, I go. Until then, we just gonna flow.”

That means even if the new squad of rookies takes time to develop.

Barber Jomone Jones pointed out, “I can’t point a finger at one and say, ‘he’s going to be the next great,’ because every time we do that, sometimes it ends up being a dud.”

Thunder Boy Wonder says they will have to prove themselves without their leader, though.

He gave this tip. “I’m going to say it just like this. It’s getting hot up in here, Westbrook. That’s all I’m a say.”

The discussion is far from over, but one thing is certain. Everyone will be watching to see what happens next.

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