Watching Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry shine on one of the biggest stages left us fans hungry for more. After all, theirs was a story that had an incomplete ending. While it’s true that the homegrown trio of Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Steph Curry will forever remain the keystones, the three seasons KD played with the Dubs were certainly special. Arguably on the same level as the ‘Chef’ as a shooter, Durant had mesmerized the Warriors faithful with his offensive dominance, as the pair took turns dominating their opponents ruthlessly, much to the thrill of the crowd at Chase Center.

The result? Two back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. The 2016-17 season was otherworldly – a stunning 67-15 record in the regular season, followed by a phenomenal 16-1 record in the playoffs. The ‘Slim Reaper’ was also crowned the Finals MVP on both occasions. Suffice it to say, it was disheartening to watch the 4x scoring champion walk away in 2019, following a failed attempt at a three-peat and an Achilles tear.

Despite the noisy entry and equally eventful exit, there wasn’t really anything that could take away the greatness of Kevin Durant. Had he wanted, he could have had the same spotlight that the other superstars, namely Steph and LeBron James, commanded. But he was content to take a backseat. And per Rashad McCants, it was particularly clear in the Olympics. “If KD really really really wanted to put his foot down, he would be the MVP, because he’s probably the best player on the team.”

“He’s seven foot, he can shoot just as good as Steph, and carry Steph two, two championships. So he can live through Steph’s success too, like, ‘Yeah man, that’s my man!’ But he know what it is. LeBron know what it is. Steph and LeBron, you know what it is,” McCants said in the latest episode of Gil’s Arena. Technically, McCants is not wrong. And why is that?

Kevin Durant is practically the gold standard for USA Basketball

To start with, KD became the first 4x Olympic gold medalist in men’s basketball. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, isn’t it? The quarterfinals against Serbia saw the 14x All-Star surpass the legendary Lisa Leslie to become Team USA’s all-time leading scorer. And as he finished his fourth Olympics stint, Kevin Durant has a total of 518 points.

In addition, the 6’11 forward is also the all-time leader in three-pointers made, field goals, and free throws. And what did the man of the hour have to say about his historic achievement? “Records are made to be broken … We have built on what the Dream Team did in 1992. We carried that torch. That was the main goal.” 

Not overflowing words of gratitude or stumbling to find the right words. It was just the standard KD response we have become accustomed to. Looking back at the Olympics, except for the finals, Steve Kerr had Durant come off the bench. With the kind of decorated resume and experience the 2014 MVP comes with, he should have easily been among the starters. But he didn’t let it affect his production. In fact, it was the bench unit that saved Team USA on multiple occasions in the Olympics.

Ultimately, this group had a goal, and KD had no plans of jeopardizing it. As McCants pointed out, perhaps, he was content to stay out of the limelight. That doesn’t, however, stop us from echoing Wanda Durant’s sentiments. “Man, we would’ve had 20 rings by now… That’s how cold they [KD and Steph] were.” Well, who knows what could have happened if KD hadn’t left the Warriors in 2019? What do you think?

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger.