Kevin Durant probably doesnt need to be such a jer

One of the complaints that developed about Kevin Durant during his last few years in Oklahoma City was that hed become oddly confrontational with unsuspecting reporters. Going to Golden State, where players are typically media-friendly, there was some question about how Durant Deonte Harris Jersey would adjust.Answer: Hes been very good, a willing and even pleasant interview. Maybe a little too good, given the events of the last three months. MORE: The more Durant opens the curtain on his arrival in Golden State and his excitement to be with the Warriors, the more he douses rubbing alcohol on the scar borne by Thunder fans who watched him walk away in free agency this summer. Those fans were ardent Durant-ians, Jordan Miller Jersey the icon of the citys first permanent major league sports franchise. Thunder general manager Sam Presti called Durant thefounding father of the franchise.Hes gone from founding father to exasperating ex-pat for Thunder fans. It got worse this week.Turns out, Durant was watching this years Warriors-Cavaliers NBA Finals not just as a star player who had been very close to leading his Thunder (who had a 3-1 lead against the Warriors in Adam Trautman Jersey the West finals) to face Cleveland for the championship, but as a free agent making a calculation about his next team.Durant that, as he was watching Game 7 of the Finals with his agent, he was not sold on packing up and moving on to Golden State. But seeing the Warriors in that game, he said, that changed. He would get open 3-point looks. He would get easy transition baskets. He could picture himself in blueandyellow. I was just like a kid, like, I would really like playing with these guys, Durant said at Stanford University during an awards ceremony Monday.MORE: Had the Warriors closed out that Game Carl Granderson Jersey 7 and won, they might not have chased Durant. That had been the private position of many in the organization New Orleans Saints T Shirts . With a second consecutive championship, they were far more likely to keep together the group, with Andrew Bogut in the middle and re-signing Harrison Barnes a priority. But they lost, so the Durant strategy kicked in.I gue s you could say, Im glad they lost, Durant said.Kudos to Durant for his openne s. But hes got to realize that when he relives his departure like that, hes amplifying the OKC heartache.Its not the first time, either. Earlier in the month, : Theres a lot I need to learn about the game of basketball. Im not as smart as I thought I was about the game. Its played a different way here then I Wil Lutz Jersey was used to playing.MORE: Durant was quick to add, Its not a knock on Oklahoma City. Its not a knock on my past teammates or that organization. But, how else could it be taken? Isnt not being as smart about the game as you thought nece sarily an indictment of the organization you just left after nine years? Shouldnt Thunder fans take that as a knock on the team?When the topic comes up, there is almost always some subtle indignity or other that Thunder fans must withstand. In July, Durant said he stayed in bed after the decision to leave OKC, because he thought, somebody might just try to hit New Orleans Saints Jersey me with their car. Blake Gilikin Jersey And, after he did sign with the Warriors, there was a segment of knuckleheaded Thunder fans who indulged in the usual Twitter-ranting and jersey-burning outrage.So maybe Durant feels he should not have to care what Thunder fans think. When correctly that he had no obligation to a suage anyones disappointment. Nobody cares about what I want as a person, he said. Nobody cares as long as I can shoot that ball into the hoop. Why should I care what they think if they dont really care about me as a whole?SN POSITION RANKINGS: | | | | But thats not everyone in Oklahoma City. Many fans there did care about Durant, cared about Landon Young Jersey him about as much as a crowd in an arena can care about a player. Sure, they did not know about his deepest desires as a person, but thats not part of the compact between star athletes and fan bases. That requires only that the star give complete effort on the court and represent the city well off it, and that the fans give their enthusiasm and support.Thunder fans did that for Durant, and he held up his end of the bargain for nine years. While it is refreshing to see a more Tyrann Mathieu T Shirts open and chatty side of Durant, hes got to know that what happened in July left a still-raw wound in OKC. He should remember that when he fields questions about his departure.