Before the hysteria starts, Kobe Bryant is likely to retire as Kevin Durant becomes a free agent, so we can probably scratch this off as an endorsement for KD to L.A.
You can add the Oklahoma City Thunder star to the list of star players who would love to play with Kobe Bryant. Durant told USA Today that the notion of stars not wanting to play with Bryant is “bullsh*t.”
When asked about Kobe Bryant’s recent passing of Michael Jordan for third place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, the Oklahoma City Thunder star who will be a free agent in the summer of 2016 not only raved about the Lakers legend’s achievement, but also refuted the notion that players around the league don’t want to play with him.
“Excuse my language, but that’s (expletive),” said Durant, who congratulated Bryant via text message after he surpassed Jordan on Sunday. “I want to play with a winner every single night, especially somebody who wants to win that bad, who works that hard, who demands a lot, who raises up your level. I’d want to play with a guy like that every day. … (His style) may make people uncomfortable, how he acts and just how he approaches the game, but I love that type of stuff. I think (the accusation) is BS.”
Durant hinted at that same fire and relentless pursuit of excellence as the reason guys run from playing with Bryant. Durant said he’d embrace it.
“Just his work ethic, just his demeanor man,” Durant said when asked what he admired about Bryant. “He doesn’t mind being an (expletive), and he comes to work man. He’s intense. He demands a lot out of his teammates, and I’ve seen that just playing alongside him in the Olympics (in 2012). He demands a lot out of everybody. He makes them better. Everybody out on the court. You’ve got to respect that. As a player, I study guys like that. We might not have the same personality, but I think we approach the game the same way and I’ve learned a lot from just watching him.”