Kevin Durant bluntly shoots down fan's "LeBron-style" Thunder redemption theory: "U ain’t god"
Kevin Durant is well known for his interactions with fans on social media, and it’s been no different after the Phoenix Suns were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs.
A common discourse regarding Durant’s career is his two championship rings and how he won them. After Durant and the OKC Thunder dropped a 3-1 lead to the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference finals, he joined the Bay Area team in the offseason. This didn’t sit well with fans and analysts, and the validity of his rings is questioned even today.
A fan mapped out a way for Kevin Durant to redeem himself by doing something that LeBron James accomplished in that fateful 2016 season. As per the fan, Durant could redeem his legacy by re-joining OKC and leading it to a maiden title. The fan wrote on X:
“The only way KD can redeem his legacy is if he returns to the Thunder and wins them their first ever championship. LeBron style. Then all his sins will be forgiven. We good?”
Durant wasn’t having any of it, though, as he responded:
“U ain’t god. Go get ready for work”
Kevin Durant’s future has been highly discussed after the Suns’ dismal showing in the playoffs. After betting almost everything on the trio of Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the team fell short in spectacular fashion.
The Suns had no answer for Anthony Edwards. This has raised questions if it is wise for Durant to stay in Arizona as he looks to add to his two rings and two Finals MVPs.
Could Kevin Durant replicate what LeBron James did in 2016?
Theoretically, yes. But it is highly unlikely for Durant to re-sign with the Thunder. Even if he did rejoin the team, what LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers accomplished in 2016 might never be repeated.
After spending his formative years with Cleveland, James left Ohio to form a super team with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. The Heat won two titles before LeBron returned to Cleveland in 2014 to accomplish what he called unfinished business.
The Cavaliers lost the 2015 finals to the Golden State Warriors, mostly because Kyrie Irving went down with an injury. The 2016 finals seemed to be heading in a similar direction as Cleveland was down 3-1 against the same team. However, LeBron James and Irving had something else planned as they came back to win the series.
It was the only instance of a team rebounding from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals.
So, if Kevin Durant did rejoin the OKC Thunder, such a fairy-tale ending is unlikely. Even if the Thunder won a title, more credit would be given to their young core than to Durant. And much like the Warriors narrative, he might once again be criticized for joining a stacked team.