Kevin Durant recently opened up about his thoughts on which opinions matter to him the most. Throughout his career, Durant turned himself into one of the most polarizing figures in the world of basketball. Many respect and adore him for the work he has put into the game. While some hate him for the questionable decisions he made over the years.
Nevertheless, Durant seems to know how to filter which opinions about himself he wants to listen to. The star forward said in an interview with the media team at the 2024 Olympics that he appreciates it when he hears how impactful he was to other players' careers. For as long as people praise him for his work, those are the only remarks Durant respects.
It's pretty cool when you hear it from the real players, the guys actually putting in the work, that are trying to make it to the NBA. You hear what I've meant to them and their careers. Then you hear what other people say about me sometimes, and they don't understand my impact. But when you talk to the players, they give you a whole different story, which is pretty cool. It always comes down to what the guys on the floor are saying about you. Those are the opinions I really respect.
Kevin Durant's impact on basketball
Kevin Durant has been in the NBA for almost two decades now. He was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics, now known as the Oklahoma City Thunder, in 2007 and changed the landscape of the league from then on. From the beginning of his career, Durant immediately made a reputation of being one of the most lethal scorers in the league's history. He won the Rookie of the Year award and remained consistent on the court in the following years.
Durant's NBA and Olympic accolades
Looking at Durant's career after 16 years, he has accumulated a plethora of awards, a feat that only the greats accomplish. He's a two-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, one-time NBA MVP, 14-time All-Star, and has 11 All-NBA selections.
If we're going to include his accolades as an Olympian, he won three gold medals in his career and is now the Olympics' greatest scorer of all time in Men's Basketball history. Durant recently accomplished this feat against Puerto Rico last Friday, August 2. Not only did he earn the top spot in scoring, but he also beat Carmelo Anthony's record for the most rebounds in Olympic history. As of the time of this writing, Durant currently holds the record for most points with 483 and most rebounds with 126. With the 2024 Olympics still ongoing, the numbers will still climb up.
Given these factors, we don't blame Durant for only respecting the opinions of those who regard him in a good light. He has proven himself to be one of the basketball's greatest players that the world has ever seen.
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