Durant really SLAMS Oklahoma City basketball

[dankrutka]

Calling KD a role player is silly. He's a top 3 player in the NBA. Granted, he will reduce his scoring role in Golden State. You can argue that he's not a good leader, but he's not a role player on the court. KD is a dramatically better player than Ray Allen. It's not even close. OKC was good enough to win a title with KD as its best player. It just didn't happen because winning a title is really, really hard.

Dang it! Quit making defend KD!

[Urbanized]

Role. Player.

[acumpton]

Well this was an interesting piece.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2744298

[Zuplar]

Well this was an interesting piece.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2744298

It was, thanks for posting.

[Bellaboo]

He's still a head case imo. He can drop about 40 'F' bombs in the article but cherishes his bible study with Steph.

[Thomas Vu]

Personal opinions about KD aside, he's not wrong.

[d-usa]

I think the reaction to everything was 50/50 the fact that he left and the way that he left.

He only thinks about the fact that he left when looking at peoples anger, and until he accepts responsibility for the fact that he could have handled his departure much better there won’t be much healing.

[SoonerDave]

He's still a self-absorbed jackass, an edgy, overindulged 8-year-old in a man's body, one who thinks it makes him bad and gives him street cred to drop F-bombs among his new brethren. His personality is now 50% denial; thinking everyone back here in OKC still thinks he's a great guy, and we'll hang "his" 35 in the rafters one day.

Not on a bet. I wouldn't hang his "35" over my toilet. Unless it came in a roll marked "Charmin."

[Jersey Boss]

It's been 16 months since he has left. It is way past overdue to let it go and this topic/thread die of natural causes.

[Thomas Vu]

I think the reaction to everything was 50/50 the fact that he left and the way that he left.

He only thinks about the fact that he left when looking at peoples anger, and until he accepts responsibility for the fact that he could have handled his departure much better there won’t be much healing.

I'm still of the opinion there was no right way to do this. Look at what happened to Kyrie and IT.

It's been 16 months since he has left. It is way past overdue to let it go and this topic/thread die of natural causes.

+1

[OKCisOK4me]

The only reason loyalty doesn't exist in the NBA is because no one will accept less money to play. That's the one part of the business that is not included. It used to exist. He can't deny that. There used to be "one team" players. But I'm not worried about KD. I still enjoy him as a player. Do I watch him? No--unless he's playing us. I retired my Thunder jerseys of his. I didn't burn them. I never unfollowed him on Twitter because as a fan, I realized before he left us that the NBA IS A BUSINESS and they're gonna do what they're gonna do because as he stated, 'it is what it is'.

[Anonymous.]

If you have any doubts of the salt levels that OKC still has for what KD did, just watch the game next Wednesday. The truth is what KD did was unprecedented, it isn't like just OKC fans think what he did was weak. It is league-wide - fans, players, media.

This isn't something to "get over". KD will be remembered by NBA fans for his personality and [lack of] competitiveness, not a ring count.

[Jersey Boss]

You can think it was unprecedented but the way James left Cleveland for Miami was pretty damned close. While I have no doubts about the salt level of OKC fans for KD, I think a league wide opinion of fans, players, and media 16 months later is "meh". To guess what KD will be remembered for after his playing days are over is nothing but speculation on your part. Especially by those who are not Thunder fans or employees.

[Bellaboo]

KD was in India this summer and fans had posters with 'Ring Chaser' on them. In India, which isn't really considered league wide.

My problem is him saying he wants to be the 'Tim Duncan' of the Thunder, and play with only one franchise a mere month before he bailed. He's a flake. Don't say something you don't mean.

[OKC_on_mines]

It's been 16 months since he has left. It is way past overdue to let it go and this topic/thread die of natural causes.

I so agree with this. I personally am not mad the dude left, he had the right to make his choice. I am mad abOUt him going something like 7-40 in a potential game 6 with OUr team up 3 games to 1 and then choosing to go to the team that we were essentially better than after lying and saying he wanted to stay. But its over now. #THUNDERUP

[stile99]

It's been 16 months since he has left. It is way past overdue to let it go and this topic/thread die of natural causes.

Never gonna happen. He's not left OKC, he lives rent-free in the heads of the people who just can't let it go.

And like I've said previously, the worst complainers would be the first out the door if someone called them and offered more money for the same job.

[Jersey Boss]

KD was in India this summer and fans had posters with 'Ring Chaser' on them. In India, which isn't really considered league wide.

My problem is him saying he wants to be the 'Tim Duncan' of the Thunder, and play with only one franchise a mere month before he bailed. He's a flake. Don't say something you don't mean.

Folks in India were upset with Durant when he commented on how under developed the country was. He also apologized for his total lack of insight on cultures outside of the USA. In the NBA you are judged on jewelry, all the players are 'ring chasers'
As to "don't say something you don't mean", I agree 100%. Let's face the facts though, lying is SOP in sports. Whether it is the college coach, the pro player or even team owners, they all lie.

[Mike_M]

Never gonna happen. He's not left OKC, he lives rent-free in the heads of the people who just can't let it go.

And like I've said previously, the worst complainers would be the first out the door if someone called them and offered more money for the same job.

To be fair, this is like his 10th public attempt to "set the record straight". Neither Westbrook nor Presti have made any explicit comments about him leaving. KD is the one keeping this narrative alive.

[Bellaboo]

To be fair, this is like his 10th public attempt to "set the record straight". Neither Westbrook nor Presti have made any explicit comments about him leaving. KD is the one keeping this narrative alive.

This X 100. He's the one that keeps bringing it up. If he hadn't, this thread would not exist.

[stile99]

KD is the one keeping this narrative alive.

I would say KD hasn't posted here, but we've already seen him using sock puppets in the past.

[OKCretro]

Never gonna happen. He's not left OKC, he lives rent-free in the heads of the people who just can't let it go.

And like I've said previously, the worst complainers would be the first out the door if someone called them and offered more money for the same job.

KD is like that ex that broke up with you , but keeps calling and texting months and months later. If KD is so happy why does he keep talking about OKC?
You know how i know he isn't happy? he keeps telling everyone how happy he is. If he was truly happy he wouldn't keep talking about OKC. He would have already moved on but he hasn't.
When someone has to repeat and repeat that they "are so happy now", they clearly aren't happy.

[stile99]

If KD is so happy why does he keep talking about OKC?

Why do you care?

[soonermike81]

I see a lot of butthurt from all parties, obviously a ton from OKC fans and definitely butthurt from him too. He is so soft and sensitive. Doesn't negate the fact that he's cold-blooded on the court.

I have always said that I would rather have Russ than KD if we could only have one. Then the days leading up to his decision, I told all my family and friends that even if he left, which I was certain he wouldn't, I'd be ok with it b/c we still have Russ. Then after the decision, I said oh well. I understood that it's his decision and he did it to better his life/situation. But as the season went on and we saw how great GS was, my butthurt set in. And after they won it all, I was pissed at what could have been if he would've stayed.

So needless to say, the butthurt is deep with OKC fans, me included now. Every time I hear something new about KD whining/acting tough/using aliases/etc, my hatred for him increases. Sad b/c I agree with most of what he said in that interview. It's a business and there's no loyalty.

[hoya]

He just seems like an immature kid. And he's not that old, he's still in his 20s. I can't say I'd have been more mature at that age.

My guess is he thought the grass would be greener elsewhere, and now it's not. Yeah he got a ring, but he joined a team that didn't really need him in order to get it. Lebron suffered a reputation hit when he left to go to Miami, and now KD is feeling the same thing. He already tried the "quiet guy" routine here, now he's speaking out and trying to be cool. Shrug.

I don't blame him for leaving. A mid-sized city like OKC isn't for everyone. Just wish he'd given people more of a heads-up. And he basically played like crap against the Warriors in the semi-finals when we had them on the ropes. I question where his heart was during that series.

[OKCretro]

Why do you care?

that's just it, i and many others from OKC don't care. But why does KD keep bringing up okc?