Warriors news: Kevin Durant recounts Michael Beasley's reaction to him joining Golden State

Kevin Durant took a lot of flak for joining the Golden State Warriors last season, but he appreciates the support given by childhood friend and New York Knick forward Michael Beasley.

Kevin Durant is one of the best players in the NBA. That fact has remained the same since Durant won the 2014 MVP award over LeBron James after scoring 32 points per game. Like James, the Golden State Warriors superstar is a once-in-a-lifetime talent. The seven-footer dribbles and handles the ball like a guard, yet he can finish over power forwards and centers.

Durant is a terrific shooter, scorer, and finisher, and he is an underrated playmaker as well. Just when you did not think he could get any better, this season Durant has become an excellent defender, worthy to be placed in the conversation of winning this year's Defensive Player of the Year award now that he is averaging nearly two blocks per game.

A player of Durant's caliber is what teams dream to obtain. He is a player that teams build around to win a championship. Needless to say, Durant failed to bring a title to Oklahoma City and left to pursue multiple titles with the Golden State Warriors in 2016. The decision was met with harsh criticism from players, fans, and the media. How could someone of Durant's skill join a 73-win team that beat him in the playoffs?

Nevertheless, Durant endured the criticism and won his first championship with the Warriors last season. Now, he doesn't even seem bothered by some of his critics and obviously feels satisfied with his choice. According to Chris Haynes of ESPN, Durant's childhood friend in the New York Knicks' Michael Beasley commended Durant for making his tough decision.

“We played in Milwaukee last year, I’m coming out the hallway, the first thing he do is give me a big hug and was like, ‘Man, I’m proud of you.' … I wouldn’t have made that decision a few years back. I would have been worried about everybody … Trying to make everybody else happy, and he gave me a big hug, and that made me feel good because it’s like, man, he know me to the core. Like known me from like 8, 9, 10 years old when I had nothing, so that made me feel good. That was a special moment.”

Now that Durant is officially an NBA champion, his criticism has toned down a bit. Nonetheless, Beasley acknowledged that Durant made a decision that made him happy and that happiness truly matters.