Kevin Durant has always had a complex relationship with the New York Knicks. Despite having the opportunity to join the Knicks during the 2019 free agency, Durant chose to sign with their rival, the Brooklyn Nets, disappointing many Knicks fans.
The four-time gold medal winner once admired Knicks legend Patrick Ewing enough to own a jersey, but as his career progressed, his feelings toward the team changed drastically. In a recent appearance on the Boardroom podcast with Anthony Edwards and Jalen Rose, Durant opened up about his feelings toward the Knicks.
“I had a Patrick Ewing jersey. And that’s crazy because I ended up growing up hating the Knicks; playing for Brooklyn ends up hating the Knicks,” Durant said.
Kevin Durant Reveals Why Knicks Weren’t the Right Fit for Him
Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Brooklyn Nets instead of the New York Knicks was his own and a point of contention within his family. Both Durant’s father and aunt had hoped he would choose to play for the Knicks. Despite their encouragement, the now Phoenix Suns star remained firm in his choice.
In a February interview on the Boardroom podcast, Durant explained his reasoning behind the decision.
“I was looking at the team, and the team was not cool to play for. The team was not cool to watch. It wasn’t a good team to watch,” Durant said.
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“I might have embellished a little bit or lied a little bit about, like, the brand. I might have thrown the brand in there, too,” he added.
Durant’s choice to join the Nets was driven more by his evaluation of the team’s prospects and less by the Knicks’ storied brand or his family’s preferences. Throughout his NBA career, the Suns star has a record of 21-4 versus the Knicks.
