Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is speaking up for his new player, saying it’s absurd to call Kevin Durant a “villain” for leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency.
“To think of Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or any of our guys as villains, it’s kind of absurd. Especially Kevin,” Kerr said Sunday in an interview on ESPN Radio’s TMI with Michelle Beadle and Ramona Shelburne. “This is one of the most likeable people in this league. He’s just an awesome human being. What he did in Oklahoma City was just amazing for that community.
Kerr added: “Circumstances kind of dictate, I guess, that some people are going to see him as a villain. But it’s only because he decided to go elsewhere to play. He wanted to change his scenery, he wanted a new challenge. More than anything he wanted to play with our guys. He loves Draymond [Green] and Steph and Klay [Thompson] and Andre [Iguodala]. Seeing those guys in New York, he loved seeing the chemistry that exists and he wanted to be a part of it.”
The narrative of Durant being a villain has intensified since Russell Westbrook signed an extension to remain with the Thunder. The rivalry between these two teams might not be as great as before considering the Warriors increased firepower, but it’s likely more hatred between them now.
