Kevin Durant is a long way from home with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The reigning NBA MVP grew up just outside of Washington, D.C., where he was a kid rooting for the Washington Bullets and Wizards.
Has Durant ever considered playing for his hometown team?
After a training session with USA Basketball on Tuesday, Durant gushed about LeBron James’ decision to return to Cleveland to try to help the Cavaliers win their first championship.
“He thought about the city where he comes from, about Northeast Ohio and how he can affect so many of the kids just being there playing basketball. I love that,” Durant said. “So many guys get criticized for making the decision that’s best for them, instead of what’s best for everybody else. He’s a guy that did that. You gotta respect that. I applauded him, I texted him and told him congratulations on the decision and told him I was happy for him. As a fan of the game, it’s going to be pretty cool to see him back in Cleveland.”
While Durant said he is completely committed to the Thunder and reminded reporters that he has two years remaining on his contract, he stopped short of ruling out a return to D.C.
“Look, we going to put it out on tape,” Durant said. “It’s been talked about. Everybody’s asked me about it every time I go on Instagram or Twitter. All my friends ask me about it. So I’m not going to sit here and act like I’m naïve to the fact that people think about that stuff. But I just tell everybody that I’m here in Oklahoma City, [and] I love it here. Who knows what will happen? I never close the door on anything. But I like where I’m at right now, so I can’t answer that question.”
The major difference between LeBron and Durant is that LeBron won two championships before returning to Cleveland. If Durant still doesn’t have a ring when his contract with the Thunder is up in two years, he’ll probably sign with the team that gives him the best chance to win a title.
