Kevin Durant is heading to the Golden State Warriors, the 27-year-old baller announced Monday (July 4). Durant signed a reported two-year $54 million contract with the Bay Area team, reports USA Today.
“This has been by far the most challenging few weeks in my professional life,” Durant wrote in an essay titled “My Next Chapter” posted to the Player’s Tribune. “I understood cognitively that I was facing a crossroads in my evolution as a player and as a man, and that it came with exceptionally difficult choices. What I didn’t truly understand, however, was the range of emotions I would feel during this process.”
Durant admitted to being pained at the thought of disappointing people with his “choice” to move to GSW. “I’m from Washington, D.C. originally, but Oklahoma City truly raised me,” he writes. “It taught me so much about family as well as what it means to be a man. There are no words to express what the organization and the community mean to me, and what they will represent in my life and in my heart forever. The memories and friendships are something that go far beyond the game. Those invaluable relationships are what made this deliberation so challenging.”
Though Durant acknowledged that he will miss OKC, signing with the Warriors provides a new chapter in his career. “I will miss Oklahoma City, and the role I have had in building this remarkable team,” he wrote in closing. “I will forever cherish the relationships within the organization — the friends and teammates that I went to war with on the court for nine years, and all the fans and people of the community. They have always had my back unconditionally, and I cannot be more grateful for what they have meant to my family and to me.”
Meanwhile, Lil B lifted the curse he placed on Durant now that he’s signed to the home team, and Stephen A. Smith’s can’t hold his emotions together.
Read his and more reactions below.
Don’t give a damn what anyone says: weak move by KD. You go to GSW, the team who beat you, when you’re already on a title contender? Please!
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) July 4, 2016
OKC fans when they found out Durant was leaving pic.twitter.com/CCTTdBKJXT
— Not Bill Walton (@NotBillWalton) July 4, 2016
Durant jerseys being burned today. Never thought that would happen.
— SneakerNews.com (@SneakerNews) July 4, 2016
There can be only one reaction to Durant going to GS https://t.co/vZtO2XkGbU
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) July 4, 2016
Durant couldn’t beat them so he had to join them 😂😂😂
— šøšã (@sosababy301) July 4, 2016
criticizing Durant when most of you would leave Wendy’s to work at McDonald’s just cause the nuggets are better.
— vanlathan (@VanLathan) July 4, 2016