Kevin Durant has reignited a decade-old debate surrounding his move to the Golden State Warriors, stating he viewed the franchise as an “underdog” when he joined in 2016. His justification, focusing on the team’s limited historical success, has been widely criticized by fans and analysts.
Durant defended his decision by dismissing the Warriors’ status as a 73-win team that had won a championship in 2015. He said, “I didn’t have no relationship with nobody on the Warriors… They never been a winning organization when I was in the league. Nobody liked Golden State. It felt like an underdog to me because I’m looking at the totality of the franchise, not what happened these last 5 years.” This perspective frames his move as joining a historically less-proven organization, rather than the league’s most dominant force.
The public reaction has been overwhelmingly skeptical. Many point out that Durant joined a roster featuring Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green immediately after they set the NBA record for regular-season wins. The move was seen at the time as consolidating overwhelming talent and removing competitive balance. Fan commentary captured the sentiment, with one stating, “KD looked at a 73-9 team and said, Nobody believes in us”. Another added, “Won in 2015 and went 73-9 before he got there btw”.
The criticism highlights the context of the era. By adding an elite isolation scorer to a historic motion offense, the Warriors became nearly unbeatable, winning two straight championships with Durant. The argument against his claim is rooted in the immediate reality of 2016, not the franchise’s history from previous decades. As one social media user put it: “KD really said, ‘I’m not looking at the team that just won 73 games. I’m looking at the team from 20 years ago.’” The Warriors’ ability to win another title in 2022 after Durant’s departure further solidified the perception that the dynasty was established before he arrived and continued after he left, leaving the legacy of his two rings in a perpetually contested state.
