Kevin Durant Wanted to Be with Warriors ‘So Bad, I Didn’t Give a F–k’

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Golden State Warriors superstar forward Kevin Durant said he knew there would be backlash for signing with the Dubs as a free agent in 2016, but the upside of joining an already loaded roster alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green far outweighed the potential negatives.

On Saturday, Michael Lee of The Athletic provided comments from Durant as the Warriors prepare to begin their playoff quest toward a third consecutive NBA championship.

“I came here knowing for a fact, that every media member, every fan was going to call me every name in the book for however long I was here and I was going to take the brunt of everything. I knew coming here,” he said. “But I wanted to be a part of this so bad, I didn’t give a f–k. Same with LeBron [James]. He took all of that heat, no matter what.”

The 30-year-old University of Texas product added the decision to join Golden State said the “spirit of the game” played a much bigger role in his choice than the potential for individual accolades.

“Not the spotlight or the fame that comes from being the best player. Not the legacy. I swear on my life, that don’t mean nothing to me,” Durant told Lee. “How I build myself up in this NBA life, it doesn’t mean anything to me. I just want to play great basketball every second I’m on the court, and that was a perfect opportunity for me to do so.”

Nevertheless, the two titles and a pair of NBA Finals MVP Awards have at least allowed Durant to move closer to entering the same realm as James in the conversation for best player of the current generation, and it could make him a factor in the “greatest of all time” discussion when his career ends.

The 10-time All-Star selection and 2014 regular-season MVP can utilize a player option in his contract to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. There are enduring rumors his time with the Warriors may conclude so he can head east to sign with the New York Knicks.

While Durant didn’t directly discuss his future plans with Lee, he made it clear the success he found in Golden State made it worth the negative reaction.

“I’m from Washington, D.C. I went to Oklahoma City for eight years. Out of nowhere, I went to the Bay for three years,” he said. “I’ve been roaming my whole life. I never had no stable environment. Ever. Ever. Since I woke up. I sacrificed a lot of s–t to be here and to change my game up to be with these guys. And it was worth it.”

Although the summer will bring a new set of questions for Durant to answer, the short-term focus remains trying to chase down another championship with the Warriors. They are listed as the prohibitive favorite entering the playoffs, which comes as no surprise.

Durant and the Dubs kick off their first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night at 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC.