Kevin Durant isn’t second guessing the biggest decision of his professional career.
The superstar forward joined the Golden State Warriors last summer after nine seasons as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. While the Warriors are one win away from the NBA Finals, Durant is pleased with his choice to join the two-time defending Western Conference champions regardless of how the playoffs end.
“I made the 100 percent correct decision, win or lose,” Durant told Marc J. Spears of ESPN’s The Undefeated. “I feel like this is the place I was supposed to be. I appreciate everything I’ve done before this. But I’m here now, and I feel like it’s a great spot for me to be.
“This is where I am supposed to be at this point of my life. I’m taking it on and conquering every part of it. I’m enjoying every single step.”
The Warriors can finish off a sweep of the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals on Monday at AT&T Center, which would mark Durant’s first trip to the NBA Finals in five years, and Golden State’s third straight appearance.
But even if Durant captures his first NBA championship this June, he doesn’t believe that will stop the immense criticism of his decision.
“They are always going to talk,” Durant said. “Nobody is ever going to be happy, no matter what you do. Definitely, I’ve got a lot of support out here. We get a lot of support. But someone is always going to discredit anything good that happens. That’s just life in general. Nobody is ever going to be 100 percent happy with everything.”
Durant has the option to opt out of his contract after this season, but the star forward told Spears that he doesn’t plan on leaving the Bay Area anytime soon, and that’s a credit to the culture of the organization.
“You have people here who realize that the most important thing is it’s a game,” Durant said. “You have fun. But you also should be passionate and dedicated. That is what everybody’s vision is. We know how important it is to everybody else. It’s not that serious.”
The Warriors certainly have been taking the playoffs seriously, though, as they come into Monday night’s game with an 11-0 record and an average margin of victory 16.5 points.
Thumbnail photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images
