The NBA has changed a lot over the years, and that much is undeniable. While some fans have come to enjoy the changes, others have taken a more critical approach.
Lakers legend James Worthy falls into the latter category and isn’t afraid to let the world know it:
“I mean, Kareem had four years with John Wooden, Michael Jordan and I had three years with Dean Smith, Isiah (Thomas) had some years with Bobby Knight. So you learned the fundamentals,” Worthy said. “Not only that, you learned how to live. You learned how to balance your freaking checkbook in college, there’s a lot of things. When you don’t get that, guys are coming to the NBA who are not fundamentally sound. All they do is practice threes, lift weights, get tattoos, tweet and go on social media. That’s it. So you don’t have that sound player; you have an athletic player…”
Worthy didn’t call anyone out by name, but fans couldn’t help but draw a connection to Kevin Durant, who shoots threes, has tattoos, and frequently uses social media to confront the haters.
Even Durant himself didn’t deny it:
This really @KDTrey5 https://t.co/8eiDpOBt5K
— T. Stella (@TheDivineHook) May 26, 2022
My middy is sharp, but james is right, this ain’t the old days lol https://t.co/MbHHTPSsQn
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) May 26, 2022
It was a lighthearted jest from Durant, but his behavior does speak volumes about the state of the league today and how much it has changed over generations.
As for KD, his future is filled with uncertainty. After a first-round exit, he finds himself at a crossroads:
If Irving leaves outright as a free agent this summer, disgruntled by the Nets’ hardball stance on his availability, Brooklyn doesn’t have the cap space to replace him with a star, which means Durant, entering Year 16, could be playing with a questionable Ben Simmons (back surgery) and a roster full of role players.
No matter what happens with Durant and his Nets, you can bet that he will continue to do his thing and live life on his terms.
It will be interesting to see how the future plays out for him, and who else gets heated as a result of his questionable behavior.
