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Two weeks ago, former Oklahoma City Thunder teammates Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Durant were publicly airing out their grievances in a Twitter feud.

But amid Sunday’s news of NBA legend Kobe Bryant’s shocking death in a helicopter crash that also killed his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, Perkins extended an olive branch to Durant.

“Speechless…,” Perkins, now retired from the NBA, initially tweeted after news broke that Bryant was one of nine people who were killed in the crash.

“Just wanted to tell you I Love you my brother and whatever I did to hurt you I’m sorry bro and hope you forgive me!!! I love you bro real Talk! @KDTrey5,” Perkins said in a followup tweet.

Durant, who is out for the season (Achilles) after signing with the Nets this offseason, hasn’t publicly responded to Perkins. Durant’s teammate Kyrie Irving missed Sunday’s loss to the Knicks as he grieved Bryant’s death.

Perkins, who last played for the Cavaliers in 2018, tweeted on Jan. 9 that he thought Russell Westbrook was “the best player to have ever put on an Oklahoma City Thunder jersey.” And when he was questioned about Westbrook’s lack of playoff success without Durant, Perkins said, “KD lost in the second round without Russ when I was there. So what that mean?”

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Kobe Bryant drives against the Memphis Grizzlies during a 2015 game the Staples Center.
Kobe Bryant drives against the Memphis Grizzlies during a 2015 game at the Staples Center. AFP via Getty Images
Bryant dunks the ball in the third quarter against the New Orleans Hornets in Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals in the 2011 NBA Playoffs.
Bryant dunks in the third quarter against the New Orleans Hornets in Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals in the 2011 NBA Playoffs.Harry How/Getty Images
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Kobe and Vanessa Bryant at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscars party.
Kobe and Vanessa Bryant at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscars partyimageSPACE /MediaPunch
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers poses for a photo in front of the helicopter he took to his last game against the Utah Jazz on April 13, 2016 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Bryant poses in front of the helicopter he took to his last game.NBAE via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 13: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers takes a helicopter to his last game against the Utah Jazz on April 13, 2016 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Bryant aboard a helicopter to his final gameNBAE via Getty Images
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Kobe Bryant watching a tribute video at San Antonio's AT&T Center in 2016.
Kobe Bryant watching a tribute video at San Antonio's AT&T Center in 2016Getty Images
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“Yea and our starting center @KendrickPerkins averaged a whopping 2 and 3 during that series,” Durant wrote in response. “U played hard tho champ lol.”

The former teammates, who played together in Oklahoma City from 2011 to 2015 and were believed to be good friends, continued to go back and forth — with Perkins taking shots at Durant’s controversial decision to leave the Thunder for Golden State.

But Bryant’s death deeply affected Perkins.

“My new motto with everything is, What Would Kobe do?” Perkins later tweeted. “He’d want us to focus more on the loss of his daughter. He’d want us to get past differences with our brothers and move on. He’d never want the game to be cancelled or be stopped. He’d want us to keep going! #RIPKOBE.”

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