Kevin Durant recently made comments to ESPN regarding his season with the Golden State Warriors and the success they’ve achieved this season. Durant spoke with Marc Spears and was pretty candid in his answers.
His candor is somewhat of a motif for the former Oklahoma City Thunder forward. Durant, in the media specifically, has been prone to thinking out loud, even during his nine year tenure with the Thunder. He has an affinity for being himself — like most people. The 10-year player enjoys openness, and with his new Warriors teammates he has found a lane to use his voice more often.
The Thunder as an organization operates as a first class, business-like entity. Players and staff, past and present, frequently speak to the professionalism and meticulous ethos. The team likes to exist in uniformity. Presti and Co. like to carry out plans only after careful consideration without skipping steps. General Manager Sam Presti has created an environment that allows everyone who calls the thunder their home to be comfortable. This comfort is fostered by having everything anticipated – no surprises, nothing out of the norm.
Clearly Durant outgrew the current situation. However, that’s not an indictment on what the Thunder have built in Oklahoma City. In fact, it speaks to the personality of those who are in uniform.
For now, Thunder fans can live in solace knowing that MVP-Finalist Russell Westbrook has grown with the “Thunder Way”. The season that the Thunder put together in the face of surprise and spontaneity was nothing short of remarkable. It also highlighted the point that even for the caliber of players like Durant and Westbrook, fit isn’t always reflected on the court.
On the court, Westbrook is impulsive, seemingly out of control, and some may say reckless. Yet he completely meshes with the Thunder as an organization. Some report his daily life as rigid and scheduled as the Thunder appear to be. His brusque behavior with the media has become a hot point, but is there a chance the Thunder have come to understand that maybe that is who is he is and trying to change it is only going to give cause for push-back? It can go a tad far, as shown with the infamous exchange between him and a local Oklahoma City reporter.
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Yet, the players rally around Westbrook and feed off his motor. The fit is there. With the players in the locker room, the coaching staff, and the fans. It may look clunky and cluttered in the run of play at times, nevertheless, Westbrook was willing to stick it out and figure out a way to turn an unscripted scenario into an all-time season.
Sam Presti relies on careful calculation and consideration. During his end of season presser Presti noted, “Being urgent is less important than being accurate. There’s not a lot of reward for enthusiasm and recklessness.” Ironically, the success the Thunder had this season is in part of Westbrook’s enthusiasm and a bit of recklessness.
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The button-up nature of the Thunder has seemingly coalesced with its enigmatic star. Conceivably he revels in the fact that he can play in an environment that contrasts his playing style. The business approach allows him to play with the freedom and energy he thrives in. Not having to concern himself with duties of Presti and the rest of the office is ideal for him.
"“I made the 100 percent correct decision, win or lose,” Durant told The Undefeated after the Warriors’ practice at AT&T Center in San Antonio on Sunday. “I feel like this is the place I was supposed to be, I appreciate everything I’ve done before this. But I’m here now, and I feel like it’s a great spot for me to be. “This is where I am supposed to be at this point of my life. I’m taking it on and conquering every part of it. I’m enjoying every single step.” -ESPN"
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For Durant, this scheduled rigidity possibly grew stale. He wanted a shake-up. Perhaps he wanted to be in an environment where the day-to-day is rooted in following the flow. It’s possible he wanted to play in a place where impulsive behavior is encouraged, not planned against. Durant has talked about the joy of the game constantly.
He loves the unscripted nature of the game in its “purest form” as he so often references. Reports over the off season revealed that the four-time MVP wanted Presti to buck the system, so to speak, in an effort to gain some veterans instead of the young players on controllable contracts. Durant wanted to break free and reside in a place that could comfortably hold 7-foot persona. The Thunder could no longer offer what the star needed personally.
For now it looks as if Russell does not share those feelings. So, with this fresh batch of Kevin Durant honesty, let it reaffirm the fact that those who want to be with the team are there.