The big difference between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant?
Russ seems totally comfortable with who he is and KD never has. This is a common problem not just with NBA superstars but people in general.
Many people want to be loved and can’t get over when people don’t like them for no reason at all. There is no real reason you shouldn’t like Kevin Durant. He doesn’t get in trouble with the law, is a very good basketball player and frankly seems pretty harmless overall.
But, fans aren’t rational and will always find something to hate and in this case it was KD going to Warriors as a free agent. Many players their anger or annoyance at trolls internal and others just don’t care. KD tries to explain himself to people who don’t care about the explanation, but just getting him riled up. I think KD thought when he won a title in the way he won it, people would back off, but they haven’t. They have come harder at him because they know he will react.
Someone had to sit me down once and tell me if I stopped reacting to everything the trolls will move on to someone who will react. That would be my advice to KD at the moment. The Warriors are a bit concerned about his behavior via Yahoo.
The Warriors will open training camp Friday and maybe then things will get back to normal. The sneaker tiff with Curry seems to have blown over, and by addressing the Thunder tweets he saves himself from having to later. But make no mistake: Many in Golden State, team officials and players alike, have taken note of Durant’s oddball offseason and are perplexed by it. They see a bright future for Durant in Oakland, league and team sources told The Vertical, and are bewildered as to why he is still addressing his past.
I think everything will be fine once they are back playing ball, idle time seems to be what gets to KD. He is most comfortable with himself on the court and hopefully that translates to him not being so concern about what people think of him off the court.