This week, Kevin Durant gave an interview on Posted Up with Chris Haynes, and people’s hate for him came up. One reason KD gave for this is that he “plays for the Warriors.” Which isn’t wrong, but the other reason is he’s “so damn good at basketball,” which is just a ridiculous thing to say. Let’s break down why these both are wrong.
He plays for the Warriors
Like I said, KD thinking people hate him because of the jersey he wears isn’t necessarily wrong. However, there is more to it. The Cavaliers were also very good at the time, but the hate would have been less if you went there. The Warriors beat you in the conference finals the season prior to joining. The Warriors also put up 73 wins that season, breaking the wins record. That would be like Michael Jordan deciding it was too hard to get to the finals in the 80’s, and joining the Celtics or Lakers. It’s not the fact that Kevin Durant joined a good team to get a ring, players do that all the time. You are to a superstar. Your job is to lead the team to victory, not piggy back your way to a ring. Especially not in your prime. If KD were 38, had never won a ring, and joined a team? Fine. It’d be ring chasing, but not unheard of. At least when Lebron did it, he pooled talent from other places (i.e. Chris Bosh in Miami, Kevin Love in Cleveland,) and didn’t go to an already established team.
He’s “so damn good”
Now this is just ridiculous. I get his point, if KD was some bench warmer who played five minutes a game, no one would care. However, as mentioned earlier, that is not the case. You won the MVP three years before joining the Warriors. People don’t hate Brady because he has five rings, they hate him because he allegedly cheated. People don’t hate Kobe Bryant because of his five, it’s for off the court issues. No one hates Michael Jordan for being the GOAT. KD is not hated for being good, otherwise every great player ever would be universally despised.
