Just how much animosity is there against Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors? Both Durant and Draymond Green were booed in Los Angeles while playing for Team USA.
They may have been representing the red, white, and blue, but even national pride was not enough to make fans forget about the NBA offseason. When Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City for Golden State to form the best on-paper squad in recent history, he poured lighter fluid and tossed a match on the growing negative feelings towards the Warriors from the rest of the league.
That animosity was on full display Sunday night when Durant and his Warriors teammate Draymond Green took the floor for Team USA in a friendly tune up before the Olympics against China. Despite wearing the colors of the team every American basketball fan roots for, Durant and Green were both greeted by a chorus of boos by fans at the Staples Center.
Clippers fans at Staples not messing around. Kevin Durant and Draymond Green — USA but also Warriors — get booed in pre-game introductions
— Scott Howard-Cooper (@SHowardCooper) July 25, 2016
Hard to tell who got booed louder during Team USA intros: Kevin Durant or Draymond Green.
— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) July 25, 2016
The game was in Los Angeles, so the crowd was likely filled with Lakers and Clippers fans — conference rivals who are assuredly extra sore at the Warriors. But make no mistake, this is only a taste of what is to come. Golden State is the NBA’s new villain, and this team will be the most reviled since LeBron James left to join the Miami Heat in 2010. Durant will face scorn from fans for leaving the Thunder to form the NBA’s newest superteam while Green reached villain status after multiple instances of hitting players below the belt during the playoffs.
To his credit though, Durant said he was undeterred by the boos. He did not even notice them on his way to scoring a team-high 19 points.
“I did? Huh,” Durant said of being booed. “I didn’t hear it.”
Team USA’s next game should be a different story. They are playing at the Warriors’ home, Oracle Arena, quite possibly the only NBA arena where Green and Durant will get a positive reception this season.
The Warriors went from league darlings to villains in just a couple seasons, and hated though they may be, the league is a lot more interesting with them in it.
[ESPN]
