Kevin Durant has a lot on his plate right now, but media and fan narratives are not something he has an appetite for.
While Durant deals with the drama surrounding the Brooklyn Nets and the status of teammate Kyrie Irving, he took time to address the Warriors winning the 2022 NBA championship three years after he left the franchise for New York.
During the Warriors' NBA Finals clash against the Boston Celtics, Durant was quiet on social media by his standards, leading some to believe he might be jealous of his former teammates and what they were accomplishing without him.
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Per Durant, that was the furthest thing from the truth. In fact, while talking to friend Eddie Gonzalez on the latest episode of "The ETCs with Kevin Durant," the two-time NBA champion said he enjoyed watching Steph Curry's iconic Game 4 performance against the Celtics.
Rather than feeling animosity towards the Warriors, Durant was feeling pride watching them get back to the NBA mountaintop, having played with Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Kevon Looney.
"I think since I've been in the league, there's been dialogue about me vs. my teammates, like, me vs. Russell [Westbrook], me vs. Steph and Draymond, me vs. Kyrie [Irving] now and James [Harden]," Durant said. "And a lot of people, when Golden State won, it felt like they went back and said 'Well, if they won this one, they could have easily won in 2017 and 2018 with somebody other than KD.' But I'm just like 'Why somebody other than me? Like, why you just want to pull me from the group?' Know what I'm saying? So it be irritating to hear that because I just want to watch the game.
"And I also like those dudes. I played basketball with those guys and I was a part of that dynasty that they're building right now. I didn't think they had a dynasty until right now, until they won that fourth one. I have some pride, like damn, I was part of something special, even though it was only two championships out of the four, like, s--t, JaVale McGee probably feels the same way I did. David West probably felt the same way I did. We all came in at the same time with the Warriors and we had some amazing times.
Golden State Warriors
"And to see them finish it and continue it, yeah, you have a sense of pride to be part of it, but then you listen to the broadcast and it's just like well 'KD should be feeling this way.' I'm just like 'Here we go. Like, damn, let me just enjoy what they're doing instead of pitting me against them' because I'm always going to take my side.
"I'm not going to agree with you saying I didn't contribute to the dynasty. I did. So I don't give a s--t if it makes you feel like I'm attacking the Warriors. I'm always going to take my side. You know what I'm saying? Because I felt like I contributed in a positive way every single second I was inside that arena, from practice, shootarounds, games. Like, you're not taking away this s--t from me. I'm always going to hold it high regard, no matter how you try to put my old teammates against me, try to lie on my name and say I'm jealous and envious of these dudes. Like, come on man, it's childish."
RELATED: KD describes watching Steph's "iconic" Game 4 performance
Durant came to the Bay Area in the summer of 2016, helped the Warriors win two NBA titles and put his body on the line in attempt to three-peat. He built bonds with the core players of the Warriors, and whenever he sees Curry or Green before or after games, they always share brotherly embraces. He was in constant communication with Thompson while the shooting guard rehabbed from two major leg injuries for two and a half years.
There's no jealousy. Only joy for his former running mates.