Kevin Durant played unlikely recruiting role for 1 New York team
Oct 11, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) in action against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Durant has officially gone from the recruited to the recruiter.
The Brooklyn Nets forward Durant revealed this week on Boardroom’s “The ETCs” podcast that he recently contacted ex-WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart, a free agent, to try to convince her to come to the New York Liberty. Durant, noting that “I never do this,” said that he told Stewart, “Yo, it would be an incredible dynasty in New York City if you came here.”
"I hit Stewie the other day, and I never do this, and was like, 'Yo, it would be an incredible dynasty in New York City if you came here.'"
– Kevin Durant on Breanna Stewart joining the NY Liberty
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) January 31, 2023
Durant’s recruiting pitch must have worked. Stewart announced on Wednesday that she had indeed decided to sign with the Liberty.
đź—˝ pic.twitter.com/6Sg28YnCPz
— Breanna Stewart (@breannastewart) February 1, 2023
That led to a funny victory lap from Durant on Twitter.
“Aye, don’t call my phone lookin for tickets this summer, they gone,” he wrote. “Let’s get it @nyliberty.”
Aye, don’t call my phone lookin for tickets this summer, they gone. Let’s get it @nyliberty https://t.co/dPx7emIeMP
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) February 1, 2023
Stewart, a former No. 1 overall pick and two-time WNBA champion, is one of the brightest stars in the league. Playing last season for the Seattle Storm, she led the WNBA in scoring and also made the All-Defensive First Team. Stewart is now set to join a Liberty team that, with three other All-Stars in Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and Betnijah Laney already in town, will likely challenge the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces for the WNBA title.
Additionally, the Liberty share an arena (Barclays Center) with the Nets, so Durant and Stewart will be seeing plenty of each other from here. This is not the first time that Durant has gotten involved in WNBA matters either.
