The 2016-2017 Golden State Warriors are already one of the most hated teams in sports history, and the season hasn’t even begun. That’s what happens when you’re the best, and everyone assumes the Dubs will be the best after they signed Kevin Durant.
But having an absurd amount of star power shouldn’t make the Warriors the “villain,” at least according to their head coach.
“To think of Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or any of our guys as a villain, is kind of absurd,” Steve Kerr told Michelle Beadle and Ramona Shelburne on their ESPN Radio show Sunday. “But especially Kevin. This is one of the most likable people in the league. He’s been obviously a great player, but he’s just an awesome human being and what he did in Oklahoma City is just amazing for that community.”
Most reasonable people don’t think Durant is a bad guy simply because he put himself in the best position to win a championship. The main issue for some is that he took the so-called “easy way out” rather than sticking it out with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Kerr thinks that is a bunch of bologna, too.
“Circumstances sort of dictate, I guess, that some people are going to view him as a villain. But it’s only because he decided to go elsewhere to play because he wanted a change of scenery, wanted a new challenge,” Kerr added. “More than anything, he wanted to play with our guys. He loves Draymond and Steph and Klay and Andre. He loved seeing those guys in New York. He loved seeing the chemistry that exists and I think he really wanted to be a part of it.”
Durant isn’t going to escape the criticism, no matter what his new coach says. There will always be people like Charles Barkley (read his comments here) who disagree with Durant exercising his right as a free agent and going elsewhere.
H/T CSN Bay Area
