Kevin Durant on his retirement: "A title is incredible, but what it's going to mean to me as an individual?”
Now in his 16th season, Kevin Durant is approaching the end of his NBA journey. Still, the former MVP has no plans on hanging it up for good anytime soon.
Injuries have cost him a ton of time in recent years, but when he is on the court, Kevin Durant is still one of the NBA's best players. In 47 games this season, KD, who will turn 35 in September, averaged 29.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists.
In the past, Durant has talked extensively about what leaving a legacy means to him. It was something that mattered to him early in his career, but his thoughts have since changed. However, he now has a chance to add to his story with the Phoenix Suns.
After making the blockbuster trade to bring in Durant in February, the Suns are in a prime position to contend for an NBA title. When asked what another ring would mean for him, KD, who won two championships with the Golden State Warriors, looked at the bigger picture. He is more focused on the journey as a group.
"A title is incredible, but what it's going to mean to me as an individual?" Durant said. "I want to win a title for a city, for my teammates, for the organization. Is it going to get me more notoriety, more attention, a ring? It's not really about me. That's how I look at championships.
"So, I want to do this together. I'm looking forward to going on the journey with these guys."
Kevin Durant should not be thinking about retirement at the moment
Years ago, being on the wrong end of 30 was the beginning of the end for NBA stars. In today's generation, that is no longer the case. Thanks to advancements in medicine and physical therapy, guys are able to extend their careers longer than ever before.
Since he is still playing at an extremely high level, Kevin Durant should not be contemplating the idea of retirement. He's had some scary injuries, but has managed to come back from all of them. After missing a year due to an Achilles tendon injury, KD came back and almost single-handedly got the Brooklyn Nets to the NBA Finals.
Another thing Durant has in his favor is the team he is on. The Phoenix Suns have a pair of young stars in Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton. This should allow him to age gracefully into his late 30s and extend the back half of his career.