Jan 22, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) reacts after a shot during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center. The Thunder won 111-105. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Brooklyn Nets Superstar Kevin Durant in a recent interview talked about his career and claimed that his former team Oklahoma City Thunder should retire his jersey.
Kevin Durant who is one of the best basketball players of all time is currently dominating the game even after coming off a career-threatening injury that he suffered in the 2019 NBA Finals while playing for the Golden State Warriors.
He is currently playing for the Brooklyn Nets but his career started at Seattle Supersonics which was later transformed into the Oklahoma City Thunder and it was the place where he had spent the majority of his career.
His stint at OKC didn’t have a happy ending because of the way he left the team and joined their direct rivals the Golden State Warriors after blowing a 3-1 lead to them in the Western Conference Finals in 2016.
Kevin Durant was supposed to sign a new contract with OKC but he joined the 73-win Warriors team which caused a huge outburst from everyone around the world, as his move was labeled as the weakest move by a superstar player in the history of the game.
However, he justified his move as he helped the Golden State Warriors to win 2 straight Championships and it would have been a 3-peat if he wouldn’t have got hurt in the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
KD was a part of a team that was arguably the best team in the history of the game as the 2017-2018 Warriors had no flaws and their offense was absolutely unstoppable led by KD, Steph and Klay with Draymond Green pulling the strings for them and making them strong defensively as well.
Kevin recently talked about & reflected on his career so far and said, “OKC has to retire my jersey, It wouldn’t even be good for the game of basketball if they didn’t.”
He added, “The same with Golden State. I’m still doing what I’m doing here in Brooklyn, but if I continue on what I’m doing for four or five years, then I’ll feel the same way about this program. I better have a home. Because I feel like I am basketball. I breathe it. This is my DNA. I put in the time and respect and love for each one of these programs on and off the floor to get that type of recognition. If I don’t do it, then it’s personal.”
KD further talked about what all the teams that he has played for so far in his career mean to him and said, “Every one of these places I played is my home.”
Kevin added, “I can imagine me when I’m done, and I don’t think any one of these franchises would be like, ‘No, K, what you did here is not a part of our history.'”
He further said, “I’m going to be a Hall of Famer when I’m done, one of the greatest to ever play. If you don’t want me to be a part of your program when I’m done playing, then that’s personal.”
Kevin Durant was really proud of the fact that he was among the NBA’s top 75 players list and said, “One of the 75 best, that shit really hit me, man, That’s one of the major accomplishments in my career.”
He was further asked if he has ever thought about the time when his career will be over and he replied, “All the time, from the Hall of Fame speeches to jersey retirements, to watching my teammates’ kids grow into the league and hopefully mine one day. I look at all of that shit, what I’ll be doing when I’m done playing the game because this is what my life is.”
He talked about his humble beginnings in Prince George’s County, Maryland while he was aspiring to reach the NBA and said, “The journey and all the people that helped me get to this point and those quick decisions I had to make that allowed me to just be in a position to be successful. You start thinking about that stuff and then just to be amongst that company.”
He added, “You see all the greatest players from seven decades of this shit, and to be in that group, it’s the only shit you can really dream about.”
Kevin Durant further spoke and said that he believes that he has a spot among the best players of all time. He thinks even without having a solid resume like LeBron James or Michael Jordan, he can match them when on the court.
KD said, “I put it like this, If let’s say Michael Jordan and LeBron James had to pick and we were playing a five-on-five game, they’re picking me. I’m going to be a part of that 10 that’s playing in that game. That’s how I feel.”
Kevin Durant recently signed a large contract extension with the Brooklyn Nets which will most likely be his last team before he retires from the game as he thinks this is a perfect situation for him at this point of his career.
KD talked about his situation at Brooklyn and said, “I’m settled, It’s good to know that I don’t have to look over my shoulder and worry about the next season or the next two years.”
He added, “Just knowing that three or four years that I’m locked in, I can start living my life on and off the floor with a little bit more ease. It’s a good place to be in.”
KD talked about how all these accomplishments that he has achieved throughout his career are good but not his main goal while playing the game as he just wants to enjoy the game that he loves and the game that gave him an opportunity to be a successful person in life.
KD said, “When I play basketball, it’s not just for winning championships or beating LeBron or[being the best, I feel like I’m playing against the game, whatever the game is that night, that’s my goal, and whoever I’m playing against, I respect everybody I play against, but it’s way bigger than them.”
He added, “We’re all going to evolve and change, no matter what, I got a long way to go to keep evolving as a human being, but I like where I am at this point.”
Kevin and the Brooklyn Nets have been quite unlucky since his arrival on the team due to the injuries suffered by their star players.
He will hope that Ben Simmons‘ arrival in Brooklyn will make them a better team and they can win a championship during his time here along with Kyrie Irving, to show the franchise that they made the right choice by bringing them here.
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