Kevin Durant leaves OKC fans mad and disappointed
Kevin Durant’s decision has sent a wave of emotions through Oklahoma City Fans. The two that stick? Mad and disappointed.
I’m still trying to process Kevin Durant’s decision to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder and join the Golden State Warriors. I never once allowed myself to believe he was staying despite the reports that said, “his mind is 90% made up that he’s staying” and pretty much every single one of my friends telling me he was staying. That didn’t make the news any easier to deal with.
I’m mad and I’m disappointed. I don’t hate Durant for doing what is perfectly legal under the NBA structure. Two weeks ago, I said he might need to leave in order to better himself and bring a title to OKC in the future. I’m just mad and disappointed that he did it.
I’m mad that he left. Durant was my favorite player to watch on the team. As fun as it is watching Russell Westbrook, it’s a lot better watching Durant. Westbrook is the explosive dynamite that destroys everyone in his path. He’s quick and painless because it’s already over before you realized it started. Durant is more like water torture, raining down shot after shot while there’s nothing you can do about it.
When I watched them together, I knew I was watching something special. Two guys who didn’t care what others thought about them. They stepped on the basketball court and went to war for each other and it was beautiful.
I’m disappointed that he went to the Warriors of all teams. The Thunder weren’t going to be a contender without him, but he effectively killed the NBA season. The Warriors might not win 75 games because injuries and boredom, but as long as they’re healthy in the playoffs, we’re headed to a third straight year of a Warriors vs. Cavaliers Finals.
This isn’t LeBron leaving the Cavs for Miami. The Cavs were a rag-tag team without a second star that LeBron had to carry; Miami was a good team trying to piece together the unknown with three stars who had never played together. This would be like LeBron leaving for the Celtics or Lakers. The Warriors were the greatest regular season team of all-time last year. They won the title two years ago and were one win away from doing it against last year. They have the reigning, unanimous MVP.
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That’s fine, it’s his right to choose his team. I just never thought I’d see this from him. I never thought he’d join an already established team instead of sticking with what he helped build. I’ll admit, this pill would be easier to swallow if he went somewhere like Boston. They’re a good team and Durant would make them great, but a ring, or even a trip to the Finals, wouldn’t be guaranteed in Boston.
The Warriors? After what you saw from them in the playoffs? Draymond Green flailing his legs and kicking people, Steph Curry throwing a fit, the mean mugging, the celebrating in your face. The team that ended your season. That’s the team you want to join? You want to leave after that Game 6 performance where you handed them the game with your poor shooting and then literally handed them the game in the final minute? I guess if you can’t beat em, you may as well join em.
Durant may return to Oklahoma City next season or the season after, wearing a couple new rings, and he’ll be welcomed back with open arms. Fans that burned his jersey will quickly buy a new one. All will be forgiven. But it won’t be the same. He’ll always be looked at as the guy who felt he had to leave and join a better team in order to get those rings. He’ll always be looked at as a guy who took the easy road to the title instead of continuing to fight up the hills on the current road.
Next: KD is gone but OKC is still in a good place
I won’t forget what KD did in OKC. He provided a ton of great memories on the court and impacted the community in ways that I’ll know nothing about. I’ll also never forget how and why he left OKC.