Kevin Durant is one of the most gifted professional basketball players we have ever seen. There have been very few players who can be effortless three-level scorers like KD has been in the history of the game. His incredible talent has allowed him to dominate the game for 15 years, even after a debilitating Achilles injury.
There is doubting what Durant can do on the court. What is often brought into question is his mentality for the game and ability to lead a team all the way to championship glory. After he failed to do so with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he joined the Warriors in 2016 and won 2 championships under the winning culture of the team cultivated by Steph, Klay, and Draymond.
He left the Warriors to lead a team alongside Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, which has completely blown up after 3 seasons. Durant’s Warriors stint affected his perception and led to Charles Barkley calling him a ‘bus rider’ instead of a driver. With KD requesting a trade from the Nets, a fan recalled Barkley’s analogy and said his exit from Brooklyn proves that point.
Durant could be a bus driver with the talent he has. On his day, there is nobody that can compete with KD on the court. His leadership skills have always been considered lackluster, which is why he wanted to be with Kyrie Irving who is more willing to take that role.
Durant has very good teams like Phoenix and Miami on his list that have franchise cornerstones and leaders already on the roster. It is obvious that KD is attracted to certain cultures that focus on playing and winning instead of anything else. While he can’t be the tone-setter, he can fit in perfectly. The Warriors have 2 championships to show for that.
A lot of things were out of control for KD on the Nets as he couldn’t control Irving not wanting to get vaccinated or James Harden requesting a trade. He is the only one that committed to the team last offseason but is now going to undo that commitment and be traded to another team where he will see out his 4-year, $189 million extension.
