The Draymond Green and Kevin Durant interview: What it means for the Golden State Warriors and the NBA
Kevin Durant, appearing on Draymond Green's Bleacher Report show, "Chips", answered many relevant questions and also gave fans a little insight to who he is. Are conversations like these good for the NBA, the teams and also the players?
Let's get right down to it.
Draymond Green asked Kevin Durant: "How much did our argument vs. the Clippers drive you to ultimately leave the Warriors?"
That was the question everyone wanted answered.
Kevin Durant's response: "It wasn't the argument, it was the way that everybody -- how Steve Kerr acted like it didn't happen. Bob Myers tried to just discipline you and think that would put the mask over everything.” Kevin Durant also said he hoped the team would get together to discuss. He referenced Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen doing something similar as discussed in the Last Dance.
These are the discussions fans will eat up if they continue. I don't think the NBA should shy away from such honesty. It brings fans closer, and while it may alienate traditional fans seeking to keep the inside information within, in the long run, the NBA will benefit from such player interaction.
Smartens the game. Enhances the fantasy.
Player to player
From my media perch, it's nice to see the mannerisms of the players on full display. Kevin Durant took great delight in answering some of Draymond Green's questions. Kevin Durant has these great white shark eyes, and to see him react with laughter added a new perspective. I think this could be a trend. Current stars interviewing current stars. Gives a better view of the game. That these two were teammates and won multiple championships together, speaking about what really was not so long ago, was refreshing.
The Last Dance effect?
The players are really creative in using their platforms to engage fans, and answer questions many want answered. When Covid happened, the nation clamored for anything sports, and The Last Dance scratched that itch. The documentary was one of the best of its kind, so as fresh on the mind as it is, the effect of the doc will be long standing, and the current crop of sports stars will seek to speak on their legacies while still active from their own mouths.
Golden State criticism
Draymond Green and Kevin Durant were very critical of Bob Myers and Steve Kerr. That honesty may be hard for some to hear, yet, it was also refreshing. The Warriors have long been known as one of the best-run organizations in sports, so to hear two of Golden State's all-time stars criticize the front office is new information. Surely this will be addressed from within, and maybe publicly. In the long run we will all wonder if this could help the team run even more efficiently. That's a scary thought.
Takeaways
Coach Brown taught Kevin Durant the fundamentals. He spoke highly of his mentor. Kevin Durant speaking about what he does on his downtime shows more of himself. We always knew he was such a family type of guy, yet the individual stuff regarding tech and media spaces is interesting.
Draymond Green knows about "Chips"; so does Kevin Durant.
Chips on the shoulder. I call them shoulder chips. It's a Hemingway thing. Short to the point.
Players speaking about what motivates them was refreshing as well.Those shoulder chips. No matter the craft, only the inside of that craft understands the process. Fans should translate that thought to their own lives so they understand the game a little more, and why players move about as they do.