Exhausted from each little bit of scrutiny and backlash, Kevin Durant quietly approached the Brooklyn Nets entrance workplace and re-requested out following the conclusion of seven/11, after Kyrie Irving withdrew first. Searching for the likable stars, long-time pals and elegance of basketball, KD wished to go to the Phoenix Suns. Joe Tsai and Sean Marks helped it come about.
On February 9 at 1:05 a.m., ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski created most likely the craziest shake of a timeline that one could ever encounter close to a commerce deadline.
As if the James Harden-Ben Simmons extravaganza in the course of the 2021 season was not sufficient . This topped that by a mile. Not for nothing, understanding he was nonetheless rehabbing for a couple of earlier than he may make his debut. The joy was like nothing anybody ever witnessed.
The World Is Prepared for Kevin Durant’s New Chapter
“The joy is palpable with Kevin’s arrival. Not simply inside the group, however across the metropolis. It feels actually like a university city proper now if you land the large recruit, after which he exhibits up, and all people’s like, ‘oh my gosh. I can’t imagine this truly occurred.’” – ESPN’s Nick Friedell on SportsCenter on Feb. 16.
Friedell continued to explain the carry-over emtion that has been lingering for Phoenix.
“I used to be speaking to Chris Paul the opposite night time, he mentioned, ‘I’ve recognized Kevin for over 20 years, and I nonetheless can’t imagine that is occurring.’ He mentioned his recommendation to Devin Booker was to say, ‘ Don’t take this as a right, get pleasure from this second.’ Having been round Kevin a couple of years, I believe he’s having fun with the change of surroundings. He was strolling round getting the lay of the land right here within the enviornment the opposite night time, however he’s simply smiling. And also you see followers responding to him.”
You may inform, even from certainly one of ESPN’s greatest within the enterprise, that this was uncommon by all means. Actually, with top-of-the-line gamers within the historical past of the sport being moved midseason as a lacking hyperlink for the Suns.
“We’re standing there the opposite night time after that [Sacramento] Kings sport, and it was like folks noticed Bigfoot,” Friedell added. “They’re pointing at him, they’re going, ‘That’s KD.’ I believe that followers and new teammates alike are nonetheless saying, ‘I can’t imagine that is truly occurring.’”
Simply because the world would count on, not solely did KD appear to be an conceivable seamless match, however he naturally seemed like he by no means missed a beat.
“I’ve by no means seen something like this within the NBA,” Friedell mentioned. “It looks like a university pep rally.”
