Kevin Durant is generating LeBron James-esque buzz about his impending free agency, but he is not relishing the attention like James did. Durant is being heavily courted by a number of teams, especially his hometown Wizards, but Washington might have come on too strong.
On Jan. 22 last season the team met with Durant in an effort to get out in front of the wooing process, but the move apparently backfired. "(The Jan. 22 visit) was kind of disrespectful, in my opinion, because you’ve got a great team there already that deserves your full 100% support," Durant said.
"I wouldn’t like that if I was on that team. I didn’t like that, but it comes with it nowadays.”
Kevin Durant Remains Surly, Distrustful Of Media
Durant’s free agency has already been a headache for him. Missing all but 27 games with a foot problems last year has not cooled the enthusiasm about his availability at all around the league, and the attention makes him uncomfortable, Durant told USA Today.
"Yeah, I’m really not good with attention. I really don’t like all this stuff to be centered around me, but I know it comes with it, that it’s a part of it. But I’m still getting used to it. I’ve learned to embrace it a little bit, but it’s still a little awkward for me.”
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As far as his foot goes, Durant is proving his health issues are in the rearview mirror. Through seven games Durant is averaging 30.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists, while drilling 42 percent of his 3-pointers. A talent like that on the open market is going to generate headlines, and Durant would help himself by being less combative. His recent back-and-forth with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is an example of how bristling at the attention can worsen the situation.
Durant hinted in his chat with USA Today that he’s improving in that area.
"Free agency is like a season now, and it shouldn’t be that big. There’s a little bit too much emphasis on that type of stuff, but it’s part of the game."
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