Kevin Durant may have decided that spending three seasons with the Golden State Warriors was enough, but the team still has plans to recognize him as one of the most important players in franchise history.
On Monday, Warriors owner Joe Lacob announced that Durant’s No. 35 jersey will be retired. He called Durant “an integral part to one of the most prolific runs in NBA history” and said no player will ever wear that number for Golden State again.
Statement from Warriors Co-Chairman & CEO Joe Lacob on Kevin Durant: pic.twitter.com/D2TPPZPuz1
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) July 1, 2019
Durant won back-to-back championships with the Warriors and was named the NBA Finals MVP twice, so he certainly deserves plenty of credit for what the team has been able to accomplish over the past three years. That said, there will be plenty of fans who disagree with his number being retired after he spent such a short time in Golden State. Some players may even feel the same way.
One of the main reasons Durant left the Warriors was that he did not feel the love from his teammates the way he initially hoped he would, but he’s certainly getting it from the organization in the wake of his departure.
