Durant returns to OKC, and the ice is slowly melting with ex-Thunder star
OKLAHOMA CITY – Kevin Durant heard the boos.
Oh, Durant never admitted he heard the rancor. Never acknowledged hearing the American expression of mass disapproval. But we know he did.
Durant’s ears work just fine. We know that because Durant is the best basketball player in the world, which requires exquisite equilibrium, and you can’t have exquisite equilibrium without quality ears.
So Nov. 14, when Durant played basketball in his old stomping grounds for the first time in 31⁄2 years, he heard the boos.
But Durant didn’t seem to care. Didn’t seem fueled by the acrimony from people who once adored him.
Oh, Durant was motivated. He played his typically incredible game: 33 points, eight missed shots, eight rebounds. His Brooklyn Netropolitans beat the Thunder 120-96 in Paycom Center, which was called Ford Center when the world was young and so were Durant and the franchise with which he became synonymous on every corner of the globe.
The wounds of July 4, 2016, when Durant announced the decision to leave the Thunder for the high-riding Golden State Warriors, have healed. The scars remain, but the wounds have healed.
It’s easy to boo wounds. Harder to boo scars. So while the boos were prevalent, they were nothing like the previous Durant returns, particularly Feb. 11, 2017, a toxic night in downtown OKC. The boos this time seemed three-quartershearted. When fans booed Durant whenever he got the ball in the first quarter, it almost was like they had to remind themselves that it was somewhat of a civic duty.
Which it isn’t. Time marches on. Durant already has left the one he left us for. He hasn’t always seemed happy with his decision. He also has taken pot shots at the Thunder, for no good reason.
But that’s in the distant past, too.
In the bowels of Paycom Center on Sunday night, Durant spoke highly of his Thunder days. He wasn’t effusive (not really his style) and he’s done it before a little bit. Still, this seemed different.
This seemed like the ice was slowly melting.
“Lot of great memories coming back,” Durant said. “Seeing a lot of people. Good to see the folks here. Play in front of this crowd. It had been a minute. I had a good time.
“You think about the foundation and built yourself up as a pro and this is definitely the spot for me. Taught me all about what it means to be a pro. The people here in the organization really guided me as a young player. That set the foundation for what I am today.”
That had to make the Thunder brass feel much better about the tall fellow who once was the franchise’s pride and joy. The longtimers who were around when the Thunder took the NBA by storm a decade ago, who felt not just abandoned by Durant’s defection, but disrespected when he took to excuse-making when ripped coast to coast for his decision.
Durant didn’t publicly call anybody by name when he returned, but he sought out a variety of Thunder employees for a quick reunion, then asked about others he hadn’t seen.
He even turned a little nostalgic earlier in the day when he saw a tweet that reminded the world that this would be the first OKC game for Durant and James Harden together in nine years, since Harden was traded to Houston in October 2012.
Harden wasn’t the least bit sentimental.
“I was just trying to come in and win,” Harden said. “For me, it’s been a long time.”
Harden, too, was booed, primarily because the Rockets turned into mortal playoff enemies for the Thunder. He said he wasn’t surprised by the booing but didn’t care.
“Wasn’t my fault,” Harden said of the trade.
But Durant, seeing that tweet, invoked some reflection.
“Yeah, it’s crazy how stuff happens,” Durant said. “You’d never thought. When James got traded, I didn’t know what the future would hold. Coming back around, being with the same team, as we got older, is pretty sweet.
“Come in here, receive the love that we got from the fans. You know we put in a lot of work here, we helped build this thing. It’s good to come in here, see what it is today.”
Durant didn’t mean a crowd that was less than full (announced attendance was 15,080).
He didn’t mean a lotteryhopeful team that was outmanned by the Nets’ 2014 AllStar team roster.
Durant meant a thriving NBA franchise that has known much glory and, despite a major rebuild, expects much more.
As Durant left the court, he lingered in the walkway between the stands, chatting with fans, posing for pictures and signing an autograph or two. Not long. But longer than most NBA players when exiting the arena.
The boos were long gone. This was a good night. This was a small step toward a future day when Durant can come back to Oklahoma as a hero. Perhaps to see his No. 35 jersey hung from the rafters. Perhaps to be inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. Heck, who knows, perhaps to rejoin the Thunder roster, as a veteran on a contending team led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Like Durant said, you never know what the future will hold.
But the Durant/OKC future has more possibilities after a Sunday night when the ice was slowly melting.