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Draymond Green Says Kevin Durant Deserves to Have Number Retired by Warriors
April 6, 2022
If Draymond Green has his way, Kevin Durant's jersey will someday be retired by the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors forward told 95.7 The Game's Maggie and Perloff that he agrees with Durant's assertion the franchise should retire his number, asking whether it's "even a discussion."
"I'm upset at KD for even talking about it. What KD brought to this franchise, I'm not going to even talk about that or discuss that," Green said Wednesday. "Some things are just a given, and you leave them right where they are—and that is one of them. ... I just don't really need to beat a dead horse. Durant getting his jersey retired—is that even a discussion? Is that a realistic thing?
"Is Kevin Durant not getting his jersey retired in Golden State even a possibility? I don't think so, and I don't like to waste my time. And I feel like talking about Kevin Durant getting his jersey retired in Golden State is a total waste of time. This man won two Finals MVPs and two championships. I don't care if he was here for only those two years. You win two NBA Finals MVPs and two championships, discussion over."
Durant told Logan Murdock of The Ringer that it would be bad for the game of basketball if the Warriors or Thunder declined to retire his number.
"Every one of these places I played is my home," Durant said. "I can imagine me when I'm done, and I don't think any one of these franchises would be like, 'No, K, what you did here is not a part of our history.' I'm going to be a Hall of Famer when I'm done, one of the greatest to ever play. If you don't want me to be a part of your program when I'm done playing, then that's personal."
While Durant left Golden State and Oklahoma City on less-than-ideal terms, he's correct in highlighting his importance to both franchises. Along with Russell Westbrook, Durant legitimized NBA basketball in Oklahoma after the franchise left a loyal market in Seattle. Without the presence of Durant, it's unclear whether the Thunder ever get a hold on the Oklahoma City market.
The Warriors were coming off the first blown 3-1 lead in NBA Finals history when Durant arrived and made them an unstoppable juggernaut. The 2016-17 Warriors are arguably the greatest team in NBA history and by every objective measure the single greatest offensive unit the sport has ever seen.
Durant was the best player on that team and took the Warriors to back-to-back NBA championships, vanquishing LeBron James in the process.
Even though the run ended in just three seasons, Durant did more for Golden State than most players do over the lifetime of their career.