Kevin Durant Says He Was a 'Phony' with Thunder, Is 'Real Me' with Warriors

Moving to the Golden State Warriors has allowed Kevin Durant to embrace his true self.

During FS1's First Things First on Wednesday, Fox Sports' Chris Broussard said he had a text message exchange with Durant in which the nine-time All-Star acknowledged a change in his personality.

"The guy you see now is the real me," Durant said to Broussard. "The guy in Oklahoma City was the phony. I was just trying to please everybody and do what I thought everybody wanted me to do."

After winning his second straight NBA championship and collecting his second straight NBA Finals MVP, Durant is seemingly leaning more and more into a heel turn. 

He argued with a teenager on Instagram earlier this month (warning: NSFW language):

Then, Durant got into a minor Twitter beef with Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum after appearing on McCollum's podcast. He responded to McCollum calling his decision to sign with the Warriors "soft" (warning: NSFW language):

LeBron James became public enemy No. 1 when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers to sign with the Miami Heat. Eventually, though, James earned a grudging respect in Miami from those burned by his departure. Then, he basically became untouchable after leading the Cavs to a title in 2016.

The New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy contrasted the general perceptions toward James and Durant at the moment:

Durant has yet to receive the kind of universal admiration reserved for James, with even some Warriors fans feeling conflicted about his arrival on what was already a loaded roster.

Durant signed a two-year extension with Golden State worth $61.5 million, but he can opt out after the 2018-19 season. Staying with the Warriors will clearly be Durant's best path to another title, and he seems content to continue collecting championship after championship.

But it doesn't seem ridiculous to think he would consider going elsewhere.