Kevin Durant's controversial move to join the Golden State Warriors will be talked about forever.
There were some unknowns regarding the decision, but one thing that was certain was that his image around the league would take a hit. The unknowns mostly surrounded his game and how he'd blend with an already established championship-caliber team.
Those questions were answered last season when Durant was the NBA Finals MVP, helping the Warriors to their second title in three seasons. In the process, Durant revealed something that joining this new team did for him.
Via Shams Charania of Yahoo! Sports:




“I’ve always been free, but coming here allowed me to unlock parts of my game,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “I knew I had certain abilities, but I wasn’t as confident in it. That’s why you play the game.
“Nothing’s changed, and it’s weird because all I’ve seen is emotional moments. … ‘Anything is possible,’ with KG. MJ on the floor crying, ’Bron crying after he won for Cleveland. KG waited [13] years to win. MJ’s father died before one of his championships, and he was crying. ’Bron cried after he brought one back to Cleveland, where he grew up and he left and came back. For me, I didn’t have the incentives coming into the championship. I had no incentives. It was strictly basketball.
“Once we got it done, I sat back and reflected and patted myself on my back a bit. I worked hard for this. I enjoyed seeing it all come to fruition and now I have to test my ceiling.”
This is a terrifying idea for the rest of the league. With the Thunder, Durant was already one of the most polished players in the league, consistently winning scoring titles and keeping OKC in the hunt for a championship.
It's hard to debate that KD is wrong about his own assessment since joining the Warriors. We've seen him up his defensive game to the point where some are considering him a candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year award. He's also been more efficient on offense than ever before. He truly has unlocked new dimensions of his already deadly arsenal.