A controversial video featuring now-Brookyln Nets teammates Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in what appeared to be a rather intense conversation during the 2019 All-Star Game exploded last year. The general belief was that what they were talking about teaming up in the very near future. As it turns out, the suspicions were actually spot on.
The Nets star himself admitted that this was indeed the subject of their conversation:
“The All Star game video – where they caught us in the hallway. That’s when it was solidified that we were going somewhere. They didn’t know for a fact where it was. But it was somewhere.”
–@KDTrey5 on teaming up with Kyrie
Via The ETCs of @boardroom
— Jared Gaon (@JaredGaon) September 29, 2020
Durant and Irving did not exactly try to be discreet with their discussion in the above video. There were more than a few people in the area at that time, and it would have been foolish of them to think that this wasn't going to get out — be it with or without video evidence.
It is worth noting that these two Nets stars have been extremely close for a while, and that they talk in private frequently. They surely had more exclusive conversations about their future when nobody else was listening, so perhaps this was part of the show? It wouldn't be a complete shock if they had already decided on their future together at that point in time, and that this was one of their first steps in letting the secret “leak.”
Hilariously enough, Irving scolded the media for speculating at the time that this conversation was indeed about free agency. The 2018-19 season featured a ton of chatter about Irving leaving the Boston Celtics and Durant leaving the Golden State Warriors, and this video just fed into the hype.
In truth, it's all water under the bridge now. Both guys got their wish to play alongside each other, and they will do just that with the Nets once the new season opens. It appears that both Durant and Irving have fully recovered from their respective injuries, so they should be good to go once the new campaign tips off. We just can't wait for that.
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