Defeating the Kobe Bryant-led Los Angeles Lakers could have been an achievement in itself for many, but not for Kevin Durant. The instance goes back to the 2012 NBA playoffs when KD’s Oklahoma City Thunder secured a series win against the Lakers in the conference semi-finals. Many perceived this as the moment of Durant taking over the torch from the Black Mamba. However, in his recent Yahoo Sports interview, Durant denied taking any such metaphorical torch from Kobe just because the Thunder defeated the LA Lakers.

“That don’t mean sh*t. Cause he got five, champ. It didn’t mean nothing… We lost that year. We ain’t win the championship that year,” he said. While he might have celebrated at the time, he refused to accept this as a passing of the torch, stating he did not have Bryant on that pedestal like that.

As stated above, the Thunder secured a 4-1 win series win in the 2012 conference semi-finals. Durant averaged an impressive stat-line of 26.8 points, 8.6 rebounds with 39.1% 3-point shooting and 51.6% field goal percentage against the Lakers. Although Kobe Bryant had a higher ppg (31.2) against the Thunder, the team was no longer what it used to be until the 2010 season.

It is worth mentioning that 2012 was Black Mamba’s last playoff appearance. All the more reason that some perceive KD’s win as him taking the torch from the 5x NBA champ. Meanwhile, Durant, in his explanation, stated it’s cool when people are like, “Damn, you beat Kobe Bryant”. But the 2x NBA champ believes that it only matters when you get the last win in the NBA Finals. “That’s what people don’t realize about NBA players. Like, these dudes only care about winning that last game,” he added.

The moment that stops Durant from celebrating his win over Kobe, as stated above, is his loss in the 2012 NBA Finals. And the team that crushed OKC’s championship aspirations — none other than Miami Heat in its Big-3 phase.

“Can’t let that affect this“: KD on teaming up with LeBron James after losing to him in 2012

However, despite losing to the trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, KD had to play with James on the US Team for the 2012 Olympics. As per an article by The Florida Times Union, it bothered Durant to face Bron every day in practice. “But what can I do? He’s my teammate now. I’m a team player. I can’t let that affect this. This is bigger than that,” he stated.

He re-emphasized that it’s tough to play with the guy you’ve been going up against for five games who beat you. But all the 14x All-Star was trying to do was get over it and be a great teammate. This feeling translated into a gold medal for Team USA at the London Olympics.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.