After nine seasons in Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant left in one of the most controversial moves in NBA history. With his nee team, the Warriors, he found unprecedented success as he went on to cement his legacy as an All-Time great.
Now in Brooklyn, rehabbing from a torn Achilles, 3-and-a-half seasons after his departure from the Thunder, he finally answered a question many have had over the years: why? Why did he leave the team he had called home for nine long years?
His response on “All The Smoke” podcast was quite simple:
In OKC I played with a lot of athletes, I didn’t play with a lot of skilled guys, shooters/ball handlers. I was like I need a change — before the season even started. I was tired of having to be the only guy that can make 3s, make jump shots consistently.
It is true that the Thunder played a very different brand of basketball than the one Durant won Championships with in Golden State. Guys like Westbrook, Adams, Ibaka, and Roberson were known more for their athleticism than they were for their shooting. With the exception of Westbrook, they were one-dimensional players, for the most part.
The Warriors provided Durant with the means to light it up with shooters, ball handlers, and playmakers. The results speak for itself.
