**Kevin Durant Understands Why Some Warriors Fans Still Don’t Show Him Love—And He’s Not Backing Down**
Kevin Durant has never been one to shy away from speaking his mind, especially when it comes to his legacy. So when a fan on X (formerly Twitter) recently questioned why some Golden State Warriors supporters still haven’t fully embraced him, Durant’s response was as sharp as his mid-range jumper: *“Them Finals MVPs, they will never recover.”*
It was a direct, unapologetic retort—one that cuts to the heart of a lingering tension between Durant and a segment of the Warriors’ fanbase. Despite delivering two championships, two Finals MVPs, and some of the most dominant basketball in NBA history during his three-year stint in the Bay Area, there remains an undercurrent of reluctance to fully celebrate his contributions. To Durant, the reason is obvious: his success disrupted the narrative of the Warriors’ dynasty, and some fans simply can’t move past it.
### **The Arrival That Changed Everything**
When Durant joined the Warriors in the summer of 2016, it wasn’t just another superstar signing—it was a seismic shift in NBA power dynamics. Golden State had just come off a historic 73-win season, only to suffer an all-time collapse in the Finals against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors were already a juggernaut, but with Durant, they became something else entirely: an unstoppable force that rendered competition almost futile.
From the moment he stepped onto the court in a Warriors uniform, Durant was transcendent. His seamless fit into Steve Kerr’s motion offense, combined with his ability to take over games defensively and as a scorer, made Golden State nearly invincible. In his first season, the Warriors bulldozed through the playoffs with a 16-1 record, culminating in a five-game dismantling of the Cavaliers in the Finals. Durant was named Finals MVP, averaging 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists while shooting an absurd 55.6% from the field and 47.4% from three.
The following year, he did it again. Another title, another Finals MVP—this time punctuated by a cold-blooded, go-ahead three-pointer in Game 3 that effectively sealed the series. Durant wasn’t just a contributor to those championships; he was the best player on the floor when it mattered most.
### **The Uncomfortable Truth: KD Outshined the Original Core**
And that, in essence, is the crux of the issue.
Before Durant arrived, the Warriors’ success was framed as a homegrown triumph—a testament to the drafting of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, and the culture built by Kerr. The 2015 title, the 73-win season, and even the heartbreaking 2016 Finals loss were all part of an organic rise. Durant’s arrival, while undeniably elevating the team to new heights, also altered the narrative.
Suddenly, the Warriors weren’t just the plucky underdogs who revolutionized basketball with the Splash Brothers. They were a superteam, a Death Star assembled through the free-agency coup of the decade. And while many fans celebrated the dominance, others struggled with the idea that their team’s legacy was now intertwined with a mercenary superstar—one who hadn’t been there for the early struggles.
Even more jarring for some was the reality that Durant, not Curry, was the Finals MVP in both championship runs. Curry, the face of the franchise and the two-time league MVP, had carried the Warriors to glory before Durant’s arrival. Yet when the stakes were highest, it was Durant who consistently rose above. For a fanbase that adored Curry’s humility and leadership, seeing another player—especially one who had joined the team in free agency—take center stage was a tough pill to swallow.
### **The Shadow of “What If?”**
Compounding the discomfort is the unshakable question: *Could the Warriors have won those titles without Durant?*
The 2017 Cavaliers were one of the greatest offensive teams in NBA history, and the 2018 Rockets pushed Golden State to seven games in the Western Conference Finals. Would the pre-Durant Warriors have been able to overcome those challenges? Some fans insist they would have, clinging to the belief that the core of Curry, Thompson, and Green was enough. Durant’s presence, in their eyes, wasn’t a necessity—it was an overkill that cheapened the titles.
But Durant’s response to that line of thinking is simple: *Look at the results.* He didn’t just help the Warriors win; he ensured they dominated. His performances in those Finals were legendary, and his ability to neutralize LeBron James—the one player who had previously been able to challenge Golden State—was invaluable. Without Durant, there’s no guarantee the Warriors would have reclaimed their throne, let alone done so with such authority.
### **The Fractured Goodbye**
The tension between Durant and the Warriors’ fanbase only grew when he left in 2019. His departure, coming after a ruptured Achilles in the Finals against the Toronto Raptors, felt abrupt to some. The emotional investment in his tenure was undercut by the reality that he was always a hired gun—a superstar who came, conquered, and moved on.
Compare that to Curry, Thompson, and Green, who have spent their entire careers with the Warriors, and it’s easy to see why Durant’s legacy in Golden State is viewed differently. He was never *their* guy in the same way; he was the ultimate luxury, the piece that turned a great team into an all-time great one. But once he was gone, some fans were quick to revert to the pre-Durant narrative, downplaying his impact in favor of celebrating the original core.
### **Why the Resentment Lingers**
So why do some Warriors fans still resist giving Durant his due?
For one, his success with the team complicates the story they want to tell. It’s more comforting to believe that the Warriors’ dynasty was built solely through drafting, development, and chemistry rather than the addition of a top-three player in his prime. Acknowledging Durant’s role means admitting that even the greatest homegrown teams sometimes need outside help to reach the pinnacle.
There’s also the matter of Durant’s personality. He’s never been one to seek universal approval, and his willingness to engage in online spats, criticize media narratives, and defend his own legacy rubs some people the wrong way. Where Curry radiates humility, Durant is unapologetically confident—and that confidence can come across as arrogance to those already skeptical of his place in Warriors history.
But perhaps the biggest reason is the simplest: *Those Finals MVPs really did change everything.* They cemented Durant as the alpha in the biggest moments, shifting credit away from the players fans had grown to love first. For a franchise that prides itself on loyalty and organic growth, Durant’s individual brilliance was a reminder that basketball, at its core, is about talent—and sometimes, the most talented player isn’t the one who was there from the start.
### **The Legacy Debate Isn’t Going Away**
As time passes, perspectives may soften. Already, there are Warriors fans who appreciate Durant’s contributions without reservation, recognizing that his tenure was a golden era in the franchise’s history. The two championships he helped deliver are no less legitimate because of how they were achieved, and his performances in those Finals rank among the greatest in NBA history.
But for others, the cognitive dissonance remains. Accepting Durant’s greatness means recontextualizing the Warriors’ dynasty, and not everyone is willing to do that.
Durant, for his part, seems at peace with it. His response on X wasn’t just a clapback—it was a declaration. He knows what he accomplished in Golden State, and he knows that no amount of reluctance from fans can change that.
*Them Finals MVPs?* Yeah, they’ll never recover. And neither will the fans who still can’t bring themselves to fully thank him.
