Kevin Durant makes long-awaited return in front of Warriors fans: ‘Nothing but respect’
More than 4 years since his last game as a Warrior, Durant played his first game in front of fans at Chase Center
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A pair of NBA titles, the most beautiful basketball ever played, a horrific injury, the end of an era, and more than four years of waiting were all encapsulated in about 60 seconds of emotion Tuesday night inside Chase Center.
Kevin Durant looked up at the massive video screen above him, a few feet away from the visiting team’s bench.
The exuberant voice of hype man Franco Finn came over the loudspeakers as the 15-second highlight reel of him in a Warriors uniform, soaring, roaring, and then sinking a dagger from deep faded away — “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the Bay, two-time Warriors world champion, two-time Finals MVP, No. 35 Kevin Durant!” — but he quickly gave way to the 18,064 in attendance, who had come to see not only the Warriors open their season, but also Durant’s first game back in front of them since his right Achilles tendon ruptured in the 2019 NBA Finals, effectively ending his Golden State career.
Durant, now 35, was shown on the video board taking it all in with one deep breath before tapping his right hand to his chest and acknowledging the crowd. They had the last chance to salute him on the other side of the Bay, in a different building, before they realized the golden years were over.
“There are a lot of good moments in that video.” “I was able to relive some of those memories really quickly,” Durant said after his Suns defeated his former team, 108-104, thanks to his 18-point, 10-rebound double-double. “It’s always nice to be recognized for your efforts. It was exciting to see people I hadn’t seen in a long time, as well as some familiar faces. I have the impression that the fans here have nothing but respect for me as an individual, player, and person. That’s all I can ask.”
The Warriors’ new home is a billion-dollar palace Durant helped build but had yet to play in, at least in front of a crowd, until Tuesday evening. After all, it was Durant, dressed in a blue suit and holding a gold shovel, who literally helped break ground on the building with owner Joe Lacob and coach Steve Kerr almost six years ago.
Their three-year run resulted in two NBA titles and would have resulted in a third had Durant not ruptured his Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the 2019 Finals in Toronto. Durant was on his way out via free agency two months later. His signing with the Nets was preempted by a trade in which the Nets sent D’Angelo Russell to the Warriors in exchange for Andrew Wiggins and a draft pick (Jonathan Kuminga).
Since then, the country has had two presidents and Durant has had two teams. We were all affected by a pandemic. The Warriors reached rock bottom and climbed all the way back to the peak. With a post-Durant title, their original trio — Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green — cemented their legacy.
Durant has been scheduled to return four times since then. Pandemic-era health restrictions denied him a proper return in his first and only other appearance in this building, leading to Brooklyn’s victory in an empty arena in February 2021. Injuries prevented him from making his next two scheduled visits.
Durant was scheduled to visit Chase last spring after being traded from Brooklyn to Phoenix. His long-awaited return would serve as the backdrop for the battle for playoff positioning between Western Conference rivals. He had to wait yet again. Durant sprained his ankle five days before the game during a shootaround.
Finally, Tuesday evening arrived.
“You play so long, there’s a lot of friends and family that you see when you go to these games, people that you’ve played with (and) worked with all this time,” Durant went on to say. “Sometimes that can come rushing back.”
Durant was still wearing the black-and-purple pregame sweatsuit with the hood pulled over his head as he watched the video board before tipoff, creating the unmistakable silhouette of the “Slim Reaper.” He was wearing it as he walked past Lacob on his way into the locker room after warm-ups. The two exchanged a few words, perhaps as a reminder that the building’s owner has already promised that Durant’s No. 35 will one day hang in the rafters.
Durant and Curry shared a pregame embrace at midcourt, proving that there is no bad blood between the two superstars who were once forced to share the spotlight.
Durant, however, put his shoulder into Curry, stepped back, and sank a jumper for his first points of the night two minutes into the first quarter. But, before he could make another basket, he sent Chris Paul flying to the floor, drawing an offensive foul and even louder applause from the crowd than during his introduction.
Durant had a double-double, but his shooting wasn’t his best. He was only 7 of 22 (31.8%) from the field.
“I didn’t shoot the ball particularly well,” he told me. “It was excellent defense. They did an excellent job of simply showing bodies and being physical. That’s what they specialize in, and on which they stake their reputation. Despite this, we were able to weather the storm and win.”
