Kevin Durant really needed to get away, and he credits the Olympics with being a big help.
Durant told Michael Lee of the Vertical that the Olympics were therapeutic for him after a summer of criticism stemming from his jump from Oklahoma City to Golden State.
“It was therapy for me after making a big change in my life,” Durant said after the USA’s gold medal victory over Serbia. “It made my life easier… I knew [a backlash] was coming. It was definitely different for me, but to come here in an environment where people accepted me and didn’t care about anything except being my buddy, that’s what I needed.
“I can’t let anybody steal my joy,” Durant added. “Monty Williams used to tell me that every day: don’t let anybody steal my joy. I get joy when I’m out there playing and it went to another level just playing alongside these great players and playing under Coach K and his staff. I focused on that. All that noise around me kind of quieted down.”
Durant has made no secret of the fact that he’s sometimes found it tough to deal with the inevitable criticism. The Olympics allowed him to blend in a little bit more and focus on basketball, which is ultimately what he wants.
