Earlier this month, LeBron James surprised many by leaving South Beach and heading home to Cleveland.
Could Kevin Durant be laying the groundwork to do the same thing when he’s a free agent in 2016?
“I’m going to do what’s best for me,” Durant said in Las Vegas, according to ESPN, after a training session with Team USA in advance of the FIBA World Cup. “It’s hard to talk about that right now when I’ve got two years left in Oklahoma City. I’m just going to focus on that. I’m not going to make a decision based on what anybody else does.”
The Wizards recently hired David Adkins as their player development assistant. Adkins coached Durant at Montrose Christian High School, leading some to speculate the reigning MVP was the reason Washington added Adkins. The 50-year-old was an assistant for the Maryland women’s team at the time of the hire.
“I grew up watching the Bullets/Wizards. I grew up taking the train to that arena, all the time, to watch Georgetown, the Bullets, the Washington Mystics. That whole city is a part of me. It’s in my blood. I love going back home, seeing my family and playing there, but I love Oklahoma City too.”
Durant, who has a close friendship with James, applauded his decision to return to his hometown Cavaliers.
“I thought it was well-thought-out,” he said. “It was classy. It was a great move to do it as a letter. That was pretty cool. It’s funny seeing guys think about more than just basketball for once. He thought about the city where he comes from, about northeast Ohio and how he can affect so many of the kids just being there playing basketball. I love that.
“So many guys get criticized for making the decision that’s best for them, instead of what’s best for everybody else. He’s a guy that did that. You gotta respect that. I applauded him, I texted him and told him congratulations on the decision and told him I was happy for him. As a fan of the game, it’s going to be pretty cool to see him back in Cleveland.”