Now that Kevin Durant has teamed up with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and co. in Golden State, many are thinking of this latest superteam as the “villains” of the NBA. This is a label that is applied to many great teams. It happened with Kobe’s Lakers to a certain degree, and it definitely happened with the “big three” era Heat. It’s silly, though. These guys are just athletes, trying to win championships. Why demonize them? Besides, Durant is one of the least villainous people in the league. Steve Kerr agrees, and shared his thoughts on the matter with Michelle Beadle and Ramona Shelbourne on ESPN Radio’s TMI (h/t Michael Bohlin of 247 Sports):
“To think of Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or any of our guys as villains, it’s kind of absurd. Especially Kevin,” Kerr said. “This is one of the most likeable people in this league. He’s just an awesome human being. What he did in Oklahoma City was just amazing for that community.
“Circumstances kind of dictate, I guess, that some people are going to see him as a villain. But it’s only because he decided to go elsewhere to play. He wanted to change his scenery, he wanted a new challenge. More than anything he wanted to play with our guys. He loves Draymond [Green] and Steph and Klay [Thompson] and Andre [Iguodala]. Seeing those guys in New York, he loved seeing the chemistry that exists and he wanted to be a part of it.”
Durant has tried and tried in OKC, but he hasn’t been able to win a ring. By joining the Warriors, he’s put himself in the best possible situation to finally capture that coveted championship. Winning is Durant’s top priority, and he clearly doesn’t mind ruffling a few feathers if it means accomplishing his goal.
