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. In search of the likable stars, long-time buddies 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 in all probability the craziest shake of a timeline that one might ever encounter close to a commerce deadline.
As if the James Harden-Ben Simmons extravaganza in the midst of the 2021 season was not sufficient . This topped that by a mile. Not for nothing, realizing he was nonetheless rehabbing for just a few 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 throughout the group, however across the metropolis. It feels actually like a university city proper now once you land the massive recruit, after which he reveals up, and everyone’s like, ‘oh my gosh. I can’t consider this really 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 identified Kevin for over 20 years, and I nonetheless can’t consider that is taking place.’ He mentioned his recommendation to Devin Booker was to say, ‘ Don’t take this without any consideration, take pleasure in this second.’ Having been round Kevin just a few years, I feel he’s having fun with the change of surroundings. He was strolling round getting the lay of the land right here within the area the opposite night time, however he’s simply smiling. And also you see followers responding to him.”
You possibly can inform, even from certainly one of ESPN’s greatest within the enterprise, that this was uncommon by all means. Definitely, with probably the greatest 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 recreation, and it was like folks noticed Bigfoot,” Friedell added. “They’re pointing at him, they’re going, ‘That’s KD.’ I feel that followers and new teammates alike are nonetheless saying, ‘I can’t consider that is really taking place.’”
Simply because the world would anticipate, not solely did KD appear to be an conceivable seamless match, however he naturally appeared 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.”
