The Phoenix Suns acquired Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder, four unprotected first-round picks, and a 2028 first-round pick on the last day of the trade window.
Before that, he started his professional career with the Oklahoma City Thunder after being picked second overall in the 2007 NBA draft. He played for the Thunder for the next ten years before joining the Golden State Warriors in 2016. His jumping ship wasn’t taken well by the fans, and they have criticized him for quite a long time.
In a recently released video clip, Kevin addressed those fans, acknowledged their disgruntlement, and understood the reason behind their opinion.
What did Kevin Durant say?
The 34-year-old forward expressed his feelings after all these years by addressing his former team’s fans and saying, “I understand it. I meant so much to this community and just for me to leave like that. Early on, I didn’t get it… There was more love this time than there has been in the past.”
"I understand it. I meant so much to this community and just for me to leave like that. Early on, I didn't get it."
Kevin Durant on getting booed in return to OKC. Left for Golden State after 2015-16 season.
"There was more love this time than there has been in the past." #Suns pic.twitter.com/wukPAmFDWf
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) April 3, 2023
The two-time NBA champion graduated from Texas and joined the Thunder in 2007. Since then, he has won his only MVP for them in 2014 and has been named to the all-star team six times, the all-star game MVP twice, a four-time scoring champion, and the rookie of the year in those 10 years in Oklahoma.
He scored an average of 27.4 points with seven rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in his tenure with the Thunder. He also entered the prestigious 50-40-90 club in 2013. Despite all those achievements, his move to the Warriors incites colossal negativity and a huge backlash from the fans.
Joining an opponent is not always appreciated by the fans, and Durant finally understood the factors that drive them to go berserk. In their last game, the Suns defeated the Thunder by a score of 128–118 at the Paige Center, and the 6.10-footer scored 35 points with five assists and five rebounds.
Will the Thunder’s fans ever accept Kevin Durant? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
