Kevin Durant reveals real reason for 2016 Thunder exit
01/16/2025 05:49 PM
After helping the Oklahoma City Thunder make the 2016 West Finals, Kevin Durant decided to jump ship and join the very team that beat them, the Golden State Warriors.
KD proceeded to win two NBA titles with the Dubs as part of their dynasty years alongside Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson. Thunder fans were rightfully upset when their franchise star left that summer and in a recent appearance on the Out The Mud Podcast with Zach Randolph and Tony Allen, Durant explained why he truly departed while making it clear he understood the fan frustration.
“They loved having me around in OKC, so me just leaving just like that when we were close to getting to the finals, I understood why people was pissed off,” Durant said. “But, I couldn’t make a decision based off what other people wanted me to do … I wanted a new experience.”
"I understood why people was pissed off, but I couldn't make a decision based off what other people wanted me to do… [The] majority of it is I wanted a new experience."
Kevin Durant on leaving the Thunder
(via @OutTheMudTL / Tidal League)pic.twitter.com/ADjpl4crFm
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 16, 2025
The Thunder failed to reach the mountaintop in the KD and Russell Westbrook era, losing in the 2012 NBA Finals to LeBron James and the Miami Heat. OKC enjoyed lots of success with Kevin Durant leading the way, but he clearly wanted a fresh start elsewhere. The veteran said the desire to not only play for another team was enticing but also to live in a different city, play a different style, and play under different management. Those were all factors that went into his decision to head to the Bay Area.
To this day, NBA fans still claim Durant has never truly won a championship on his own. He went to the Brooklyn Nets to hopefully shut down that criticism, but their Big 3 experiment failed. As for his time with the Phoenix Suns, it hasn’t gone to plan, either.
However, Kevin Durant could truly care less what fans have to say about him. He’s still going to go down as one of the best players to ever step foot on the hardwood.
As for the Thunder, they’re a contender once again after years of rebuilding and look to be a legitimate title threat with franchise star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the forefront. I doubt OKC supporters are still holding a grudge against KD.
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