Kevin Durant says his decision to join the Golden State Warriors in 2016 was never viewed through the same lens that many fans and critics saw it at the time.
Speaking recently about his free-agency move, Durant explained that he considered the broader history of the franchise rather than focusing solely on the Warriors’ dominance in the years immediately preceding his arrival.
“They never been a winning organization,” Durant said. “Nobody liked Golden State. I’m looking at the totality of the franchise, not what happened the last five years.”
The comments provide additional insight into one of the most scrutinized free-agent decisions in NBA history. When Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder for Golden State in July 2016, the Warriors were coming off a record-setting 73-9 season and had reached back-to-back NBA Finals. Around the league, the move was widely viewed as a superstar joining an already established powerhouse.
Durant, however, said his perspective was shaped by the franchise’s long-term history. Before the Warriors’ rise under Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, Golden State had spent decades outside the NBA’s elite tier. The organization made the playoffs only once between 1995 and 2012 and had largely been absent from championship conversations for much of Durant’s youth.
By the time Durant arrived, he had already built one of the most accomplished résumés in the league. The former No. 2 overall pick entered free agency after nine seasons with Seattle and Oklahoma City, where he won four scoring titles, earned seven All-Star selections and captured the 2014 NBA MVP award.
Durant was coming off another elite campaign in 2015-16, averaging 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 50.5% from the field. Oklahoma City came within one victory of reaching the NBA Finals before losing to Golden State in seven games in the Western Conference Finals.
The partnership between Durant and the Warriors quickly produced historic results. In his first season with Golden State, Durant averaged 25.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists while helping the team finish 67-15. The Warriors then went 16-1 in the playoffs, capturing the 2017 NBA championship.
Durant earned Finals MVP honors that year after averaging 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He repeated as Finals MVP in 2018 as Golden State secured a second consecutive title.
Across three seasons with the Warriors, Durant averaged 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists while shooting 52.4% from the field. Golden State reached three straight NBA Finals during his tenure and won two championships before injuries contributed to the end of the dynasty’s run in 2019.
Now 37 and entering the later stages of a Hall of Fame career, Durant remains one of the most productive scorers in NBA history. Through 18 NBA seasons, he has averaged 27.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 50.3% from the field and 39.2% from three-point range.
