Kevin Durant has faced criticism before after returning to the old cities he once represented and played for, dealing with it and persevering despite the outside noise.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!He has made stops with the Seattle Supersonics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and for the past two seasons, the Phoenix Suns.
Out of all the places he has been in, Durant’s longest tenure was nine seasons (2008-16) long with the Thunder.
Let the Fans Be Fans
Making a name for himself in Oklahoma, departing for the Warriors didn’t sit well back in 2016 as he won two NBA championships and was runner-up in the 2018-19 season.
Fast forwarding to Friday night, there was no love lost as the Thunder fans let Durant know how they felt eight years later.
Filmed and posted by AZCentral Suns insider Duane Rankin on X (formerly Twitter), the crowd was booing during the Suns’ lineup being read, especially when the PA announcer introduced Durant.
When asked after the Suns lost 128-103 about the hostile atmosphere, Durant didn’t shy away from what transpired pregame.
“It’s hard to not hear how people react to when your name is called,” Durant said. “I understand the dynamics. What being a fan means and what I meant to this city. I have been saying this for eight years now, try to let the fans react how they want to react since this is their experience. Before, I tried to tell them how to act toward me and vice versa. This is my experience in the NBA, I’ll conduct myself and I’ll give the fans the same type of leeway. I’ll let them react how they want to react, it’s their experience and they paid for this experience.”
"It's hard to not hear how people react to when your name is called. I understand the dynamics. What being a fan means and what I meant to this city."
Kevin Durant on OKC fans booing.
"This is their experience. Before I guess I tried to tell them how to act towards me." #Suns https://t.co/ldOhQbZNCl pic.twitter.com/a9qXkdNGyj
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 30, 2024
Replying to Rankin’s post, a user also said the following:
“You gotta feel bad for KD, nobody respects his rings and he has no place he can call home.”
But on Saturday afternoon, Durant responded to this criticism as well:
“I’m at home everywhere I go,” Durant said.
I’m at home everywhere I go
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) March 30, 2024
With the Suns inching closer to the playoffs and him playing 16 years in the NBA, this will not be the first or the last time he will face critics in his career.
On Monday night, Kevin Durant and the Suns face the New Orleans Pelicans at 5 p.m. PT.
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers Phoenix Sports News for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
