Kevin Durant has thrived for nearly two decades as one of the NBA’s most formidable players and premier shooting guards. Yet, when he endured a torn Achilles during the 2019 NBA Finals, Durant feared that his career in the league might come to an abrupt end.
Durant’s devastating injury occurred during Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals while he was playing for the Golden State Warriors. Prior to this, Durant had already experienced a setback with a right calf strain during Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Houston Rockets earlier in the postseason. Although he missed nine games due to the calf strain, Durant made a comeback during Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. Unfortunately, his return was short-lived as he only managed to play two minutes into the second quarter before suffering the season-ending Achilles injury.
During a conversation with Boardroom, Durant expressed his thoughts:
That’s when I knew, I’m like ‘I’m probably wouldn’t go back to the Bay again.’ It’s 20,000 people in there and I heard a pop. So, I’m like ‘oh my gosh,’ and my whole basketball career flashed before my eyes.
Kevin Durant said
That marked the conclusion of his tenure with the Warriors, as he went on to sign a four-year deal with the Brooklyn Nets that summer, joining forces with Kyrie Irving. Durant opted to sit out the 2019-20 season and subsequently spent the following three seasons with the Nets before being traded to the Phoenix Suns just before the 2023 trade deadline.
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Kevin Durant reveals that his dad and agent wanted him to sign for the New York Knicks after leaving the Warriors
Kevin Durant after his third and final season with the Golden State Warriors, faced a tough decision about his future, and evidently, both his agent and father were keen for him to sign with the New York Knicks.
Kevin Durant (via X/Sports Illustrated)Durant confirmed in the latest Boardroom Cover Story that his agent and close confidant, Rich Kleiman, had “Knicks blinders” on. Despite Kleiman’s strong preference, Durant ultimately chose to sign with the Brooklyn Nets.
Durant’s decision appeared to hold immense promise for the Nets, who seemed poised to embark on an era of unprecedented success since their relocation to Brooklyn. Alongside Durant, Kyrie Irving also joined the Nets that offseason, and they later acquired James Harden. However, a combination of injuries and off-the-court issues thwarted Brooklyn from realizing the lofty heights that Durant and the organization had envisioned.
