Now an NBA Champion and Finals MVP, Kevin Durant has given the world a new window into the decision that brought him to Golden State.
In his newly posted YouTube documentary, "Still KD: Through the Noise," Durant, along with current Warriors general manager/president Bob Myers, plus former coaches Rick Barnes and Scott Brooks, talk about the time leading up to his July 4 decision and respond to critics who believe the forward took the easy way out.
"There is no doubt in my mind it was a crushing day for him when he knew the decision he would have to make was to go to Golden State because he would not want anybody there to think he didn't appreciate them." Barnes said. "That he didn't mean every word he had ever spoken when he was there."
"Kevin gave nine years to OKC," Brooks said. "It's a long time. And he gave everything he had. The tough decision was made and you grow from it, you learn from it. We had a lot of great moments together."
"Not a lot of people in his situation will express vulnerability, because it's perceived as weakness," Myers said. "Right before he made the decision, he said something like, 'I don't know what to do. This is so hard.' That to me was pretty profound to hear that someone who's supposed to be some kind of superhero acknowledging he's a human being -- which he obviously is. But somehow we forget that we all have to make these choices in our careers and they're hard.
"And sometimes there's a fork in the road. It's a tough one. And we all relate to that, but we don't have it plastered all over society."
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Durant alludes to his decision several times during the episode and those with insight to his mental state after news brok of his coming to Golden State say it was a really difficult time for the Finals MVP.
"It's easy for people to discredit (your hard work)," Durant said. "It's hard to tune it out. I work hard as hell. ... It's just a game to some people, but it's real life to us."
You can watch the entire episode below: