It has been more than three years since Kevin Durant left the Golden State Warriors dynasty. But the damage he did to the league is still as fresh as it happened yesterday to most.
By joining already a stunning Warriors team in 2016, he destroyed the power balance in the league. Although Durant won two NBA Championships during his stint with the Dubs, he became the target of all the trolls around the league.
One such instance was when former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning hosted the 2017 ESPYS. Obviously, Manning came up with brilliant jokes to entertain the audience. During the event, one of his jokes was targeted at none other than KD.
The most Olympic medals of any U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team ever. Our gymnastics team was so dominant, that Kevin Durant told me he wanted to play for them next year. I gotta tell you, I don’t think you’d start for that team Kevin. Russell Westbrook, what do you think?
It was a reference to Kevin Durant’s wish to join great teams. He did so in the NBA, and Manning made a joke about how he would join the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team as well.
Anyway, fast forward to 2022; this time around, KD’s former teammate Stephen Curry hosted the ESPYS awards. Curry was on fire throughout the event. In fact, Steph even made a joke directed at LeBron James.
But what Steph couldn’t do was use Manning’s 2017 joke about Durant wanting to join great teams. Manning even gave Curry his blessing to do so, and Steph agreed to it but didn’t use the joke, anyway.
"When I hosted the ESPYs five years ago, I made a little quip about Kevin Durant wanting to play for a great team that made a lot of headlines. Feel free to use that one because it hasn't aged a day."
Peyton Manning giving Steph Curry advice on jokes 😂pic.twitter.com/SEiIURrWo9
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 21, 2022
Manning: “When I hosted the ESPYS five years ago, I made a little quip about Kevin Durant wanting to play for a great team that made a lot of headlines. Feel free to use that one because it hasn’t aged a day.”
Curry: “I agree, but no.”
Manning probably made that comment in light of Kevin Durant once again requesting a trade. He has made it abundantly clear that he wants to leave the Brooklyn Nets this offseason.
Additionally, the teams that he mentioned as his preferred destinations are the Phoenix Suns and the Miami Heat. Both of his options secured the first seed in their respective conferences last season. So, yes, Manning’s joke about KD hasn’t aged a day indeed.
