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Since Kevin Durant made the decision to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors last offseason, he has caught nothing but criticism for the move.
Even after winning his NBA title, that hasn't stopped the even flow of bashing thrown his way. The 2017 NBA Finals MVP has finally decided to address the criticism in a recent interview with ESPN.
https://youtu.be/d5wMSuZLrXQ?t=1m45s
“I hear what you. I hear how you defining me as a player and person. Before if you tried to recognize that and address it, you were soft mentally. That was kind of funny to me because I think that's the opposite. You show a lot of character standing up for yourself.”
“I can't worry about what people say. I can't let that distract me while I'm on the court playing because it has happened before. No lie, it has. Can't worry about what they will say after the game or about how I'm playing. I just go out and play. Let the work take control. Let the work take over. I got away from the love of the game because of it. I let the business of the game be 1A and 1B instead of letting basketball being No.1. That stuff doesn't even matter.”
This chatter may have affected Durant at times, but the winning his first championship has provided him with an immediate validation that it worth taking all the hatred and disdain directed toward him.
It has ranged from those calling him out for joining the team that was up 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals last year to those stating that he went to an already championship-caliber team that would take a huge hit to his own legacy.
However, Durant proved to be the game-changer in the 2017 NBA Finals leading all scorers averaging 35.2 points on 55.6 percent shooting from the field including 47.4 percent from beyond the arc, with 8.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game. He was also the first player to score 30 or more points in the first five games of the NBA Finals since Hall-of-Famer Shaquille O’Neal did so in 2000.
Ultimately, it was the NBA title that gave Durant all that he needed to get past any and all the criticism that he has heard since making move.
