Durant feels the love in NBA’s return to Seattle
Ex-Sonics fans revisit city’s basketball glory days
SEATTLE — Kevin Durant got off the bus inside the loading dock at KeyArena about two hours before tipoff and made a quick glance toward the court, visible through the tunnel.
He was back where his NBA career began more than a decade ago.
“When I woke up from my pre-game nap I was nervous,” Durant said. “I never felt that way coming into a game, especially a pre-season game, but knowing this whole thing was set up for that moment, I guess it was a crazy feeling to come out and feel that much love.”
Durant was back in Seattle on Friday night along with his Golden State Warriors for a pre-season game against the Sacramento Kings for the first NBA game in the city since the SuperSonics left for Oklahoma City following the 200708 season. It was an opportunity for the Seattle basketball community to gather once more before KeyArena becomes a construction site later this fall as part of a US$700 million renovation that’s expected to land the city an expansion NHL team, and has raised hopes of the NBA and the Sonics returning in the future.
The Warriors beat the Kings 122-96. Klay Thompson scored 30 points. Durant had 26.
“It was a very special atmosphere. Very different from anything I’ve ever experienced,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
For three hours, Seattle said hello to the NBA once more while saying goodbye to a building where the Sonics hung their only championship banner, the Seattle Storm won three WNBA titles.
On this night, it was again home to the NBA with the same energy, excitement and noise that bounced off its walls in the heyday of the Sonics, when they were among the NBA’s elite franchises. The game sold out in a matter of hours and the lower bowl was crammed with fans more than an hour before tipoff.
All the focus was on Durant, who along with Jeff Green are the only players remaining in the league who played for the Sonics in Seattle. When he was introduced as the last member of the starting lineup for Golden State, Durant pulled off his warm-up revealing a Shawn Kemp SuperSonics jersey from the 1996 season, the last time Seattle made the NBA Finals. The crowd erupted, as if Durant needed to be any more beloved in the Emerald City.
“I’m not really big into the surprises and all that stuff, but I thought it would be cool to honour one of the past legends,” Durant said.
Durant also took the microphone before tipoff to relay a message to the fans.
“First off, I want to get a shout out to the Seattle Storm for holding it down and winning a championship,” Durant said while pointing toward Sue Bird and Breanna Stewart sitting courtside. “On behalf of myself, the NBA, our organization, my teammates we want to thank you guys for coming out and supporting us. I know it’s been a rough 10 years. NBA is back in Seattle for tonight. Hopefully, it’s back forever soon.”
Every Durant basket was met with the loudest cheers and the couple of times he dunked the crowd erupted as if it was the 1990s all over again.