Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant didn’t take it personally when Oklahoma City Thunder fans booed him during pregame introductions on Tuesday night.
Speaking to reporters after the Rockets’ season-opening 125-124 loss in double overtime, Durant suggested that the booing isn’t a true representation of how the city feels about him, saying, “It’s part of the brand of OKC to boo me when my name gets introduced, but I think it’s all love after that.”
KD noted that the reception he receives while out and about in OKC is different than the vitriol thrown his way on the court, saying, “Walking onto the court, at the hotel, walking around town, every time I come here, it’s just so much love and respect. People always telling me they appreciate my time here. And I feel the same way.”
After spending his first NBA season with the Seattle SuperSonics, Durant played the next eight seasons for the Thunder following the Sonics’ relocation to OKC.
Durant was a beloved figure during his time in OKC, but the perception shifted significantly when he left to sign with the Golden State Warriors in free agency in 2016.
Rockets-Thunder Full Highlights
Along with Russell Westbrook, Durant was the face of the franchise in OKC, and he helped lead the Thunder to a ton of success, including a trip to the 2012 NBA Finals.
However, before finishing the job and winning a championship in Oklahoma City, Durant joined a Warriors team that had just won a title in 2015.
Adding insult to injury, Durant reached the NBA Finals in each of his three seasons in Golden State, winning a pair of championships and NBA Finals MVP awards.
Since leaving the Thunder, Durant has played for the Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns and now Rockets, but no matter what uniform he is wearing, the on-court reception from OKC fans is always the same.
Nearly a decade since leaving Oklahoma City, Thunder fans still try to make it known to KD that they feel betrayed by his departure and the circumstances surrounding it.
However, it is fair to wonder if Thunder fans can now start the healing process and potentially transition from having contempt for Durant to appreciating what he did while he was in OKC.
That is because the Thunder won their first championship last season since moving to Oklahoma City, meaning fans finally have the thing that some of them may have felt KD stole from them by leaving.
On top of that, the Thunder are built to dominate the NBA for years to come thanks to the presence of reigning NBA and NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and two other stars in Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.
Despite being without Williams on Tuesday, the Thunder persevered and came from behind to beat the Rockets in double OT, beginning their title defense in style.
As for Durant, he finished with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting to go along with nine rebounds and three assists, and he looks poised to help the Rockets be one of the main challengers to the Thunder in the Western Conference this season.
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