Kevin Durant is getting major backlash for leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors. Possibly to the increased usage of social media, it appears the reaction is worse than when LeBron James left Cleveland for Miami six years ago. While Durant has his share of supporters, he has far more detractors critiquing the move, from NFL to NBA players. Charles Barkley, never afraid to speak his mind, wasn’t too high on Durant’s free agency move. Should we be surprised at this? Not really.
Via ESPN:
“We develop this thing where you keep telling these guys, ‘Hey man, if you don’t win a championship you’re a bum.’ I don’t feel like a bum,” he said. “I’m pretty sure Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone and John Stockton — we think we’re pretty damn good. We could have played with some of those other guys and kind of cheated our way to a championship. But there is this thing that started with this new generation where these guys feel so much pressure. Everybody wants to win.
“I’m a big Chris Paul fan. I’m sure Chris Paul wants to win a championship. And he could, when his contract is up, go join one of these super teams and get a championship. But it won’t be the same as leading your team where you’re the bus driver instead of the bus rider.”
