Durant says NBA voters have ‘pure hate’ of him
SAN FRANCISCO: Kevin Durant has won an NBA most valuable player award, but he said his days of regular-season awards likely are over.
“You know they’re not gonna give me anything,” Durant said Wednesday during an interview with the San Francisco radio station 95.7 The Game.
Durant said his decision to leave Oklahoma City and join the Golden State Warriors before the 2016-17 season has caused award voters to both overlook and dislike him.
“Even if it’s on the fence, I have to be clear-cut better than everybody for me to even get a look,” Durant said during the interview. “I mean, it’s just pure hate for me obviously, and no appreciation for my real skill for the game. But I get it. I understand where we’re (the Warriors) coming from. I understand what we have here in this building that scares everybody.”
Golden State have won three of the past four NBA championships, with Durant winning the last two Finals MVP trophies. Durant, who turns 30 on today, also was voted NBA Rookie of the Year following the 2007-08 season.
The NBA’s regular-season award winners are chosen by the votes of approximately 100 members of the media. The league’s players association began voting for their own awards in 2015.
“You know, accolades, that stuff is kind of long gone for me unless it’s like Finals or something like that where it’s probably pretty even,” Durant said. “But regular-season awards, I mean I’m never gonna get a look when it comes to that, especially playing here for the Warriors.”