Durant is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history and one of the most influential stars in active service. He once played for four teams: Thunder, Warriors, Suns and Nets, and each team left its own glory. Some people think that Durant’s jerseys should be retired by all three teams in recognition of his contributions and achievements. But is it really possible?
First of all, we should make it clear that retiring jerseys is not an easy task. It requires not only the consent of the players themselves, but also the approval of the team management, and even the feelings of the fans. Retired jerseys are the highest honor and the greatest respect. It means that the players have an indelible position and influence in that team, and it also means that the team has deep feelings and trust for the players.
So, Durant in the four teams, which team is most likely to retire his jersey? I think the answer is the Nets.
The Suns are Durant’s current team and the team he was traded to join. Durant showed his charisma and superstar strength in the Nets. He led the Nets to the Eastern Conference finals and created amazing data and performance in the confrontation with the Bucks. Although he didn’t win the championship in the end, Durant has won the admiration and love of all the staff and fans of the Nets. If Durant can remain healthy and at a high level in the Nets and lead the Nets to win the championship, then it is very possible that his jersey will be retired by the Nets.
Secondly, the Warriors may also retire Durant’s jersey. After all, Durant spent the most brilliant three seasons of his career in the Warriors. He helped the Warriors win the championship twice in a row and won the finals MVP twice. He played a historical level of efficiency and firepower in the Warriors, and also made the Warriors a dynasty-level team. Although Durant caused some controversy and dissatisfaction when he left the Warriors in 2019, Warriors management and coach Cole expressed their gratitude and respect for Durant and hinted that he might retire his No.35 jersey in the future.
Finally, Thunder is the last team to retire Durant’s jersey. Although Durant played the first nine seasons of his career in the Thunder and led the Thunder to the finals, he left the Thunder in an unacceptable way in 2016 and joined the sworn enemy warriors at that time. This move made Thunder fans and management feel betrayed and angry, and also completely broke the relationship between Durant and Thunder. Even though Durant later expressed his nostalgia and gratitude to Thunder, neither Thunder fans nor management forgave him, nor did they forget him. Therefore, it is impossible and inappropriate for Thunder to retire Durant’s jersey.
To sum up, it is a fable that Durant was retired at least three jerseys, and Thunder was the first to disagree. Durant can only win such honor in the Nets or Warriors, but it also requires him to continue to create glory and history in these two teams. Durant is a great player, but he is also a controversial player. Whether his jersey can be retired depends on his own choice and performance.
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