Kevin Durant is widely regarded as one of the greatest players and arguably the best offensive talent to have ever graced the NBA hardwood. A future Hall of Famer, Durant’s stellar career has been marked by incredible achievements, though it has not been without controversy.
The most debated moment came in 2016 when Durant made the decision to join the Golden State Warriors. Prior to this move, he had led the Oklahoma City Thunder to an NBA Finals appearance and a Western Conference Finals appearance in his last two seasons with the franchise. At the time, the Warriors were already a championship contender, led by Steph Curry. This led to criticism from fans and analysts alike, who accused Durant of forming a “super team” by joining a formidable lineup.
Despite the backlash, Durant’s three-year stint with the Warriors was highly successful. He won two NBA championships and earned two Finals MVP awards during this period, boasting an impressive win rate of approximately 70% (110-25).
On a recent episode of “The Pivot” podcast, Durant addressed the commonly debated topic of whether his move to Golden State tarnished his legacy. He stated:
> “When I am done playing, people are gonna reflect on the amount of years that I have put in and the actual accomplishments. They will look at the big picture. You can’t talk down on anything that a professional athlete who has been around for two decades has done. I don’t care how many championships I win or didn’t win. Some people are going to nitpick, but they are still analyzing an amazing career, an amazing body of work — stuff that not a lot of people do on a day-to-day.”
Currently, Durant has embarked on a new chapter in his career with the Houston Rockets. Although the Rockets started the season with a 1-2 record, Durant remains one of the league’s premier offensive talents.
During the podcast, host Ryan Clark asked Durant about the conditional nature of praise he often receives from fans. Durant explained that his versatile skill set leads fans to expect him to play basketball according to their preferences:
> “I understand and I realize that I have built my game to the point where I can adapt anywhere. So, people see the beauty in that and appreciate it. I can do everything on the court; s***, they want to control me. It’s like they wanna play 2K with me.”
> (Timestamp: 14:10)
Now in his 19th NBA season, Kevin Durant shows no signs of slowing down. He continues to be one of the most effective and dynamic offensive players in the league, cementing his legacy one performance at a time.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-some-people-gonna-nitpick-kevin-durant-bluntly-rejects-claims-warriors-stint-tainting-legacy
