Kevin Durant‘s Warriors stint was widely termed as a tectonic shift in the power dynamics of the NBA. Though many criticized his decision, the Slim Reaper was on his mission to attain gold, winning back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 and earning Finals MVP honors.
Taking his talents to the Bay Area, Durant was coached under Steve Kerr. A challenging task for both parties, given integrating KD on a team that already had the Splash Brothers and Draymond Green wouldn’t be easy. Fortunately, the transition happened with complete ease. In a 2023 episode of Lead By Example with Bob Myers, Coach Kerr shared his experience of working with KD. The Warriors coach had nothing but high praise for the two-time Finals MVP, breaking down Durant’s three years with the San Francisco franchise.
Revisiting Steve Kerr’s Honest Take on Kevin Durant’s Warriors Era
Signing with the Warriors in 2016, Durant sent shockwaves in the league. The former MVP joined a 73-9 team, which boasted the likes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala. Under heavy scrutiny, KD would post some of his career’s best numbers, leading the Dubs to the Finals in all his three seasons.
Kerr, who had coached KD for three years, once opened up about his experience with the four-time scoring champion. The ex-Bulls guard turned coach had the following to say.
“I loved coaching Kevin. When he arrived, he was so ready to experience a different style of basketball. And I think that was one of the reasons he came here. He was obviously MVP, already one of the greatest players ever, but he wanted to experience the motion that we all had always played with. And I really think he enjoyed it. I think he loved it.”
Talking about his last leg with the Dubs, Kerr revealed the change in approach he felt from Durant.
“And I think by the end of the second year, that’s when it just became a little bit more of I guess, a labor, than a joy for him. It got difficult the third year, it was more difficult to communicate with him because he wasn’t happy but I always appreciated his heart and his humanity. He’s a very vulnerable person, and especially the first two years, he really gave himself to the team and was you know Finals MVP both years.”
KD’s three years in the Bay Area were nothing short of eventful. While he made the roster a juggernaut, there were some frictions from within toward the end, especially the infamous argument between him and Draymond that was caught on air. Nonetheless, the worst was yet to come when the 36-year-old ruptured his Achilles in Game Five of the 2019 Finals.
KD’s Warriors Stats
When it came to his performances on the court, KD was flawless. The four-time Olympic Gold Medalist averaged 25.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 5.4 APG, and 1.5 BPG on close to 52.4% shooting from the field. The 6’11” forward had a 154-54 record with the Warriors, accounting for a 74% winning rate. Many believe had Durant not injured himself, the Warriors could have become the only team to three-peat in the last decade.
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