Kevin Durant was easily one of the most beloved players across the NBA during his tenure with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the public perception of him has changed quite a bit over the last three years.
Durant infuriated countless fans, pundits and rival players when he opted to sign with the Golden State Warriors in 2016, which basically ruined any parity left in the NBA. The Warriors have won the last two NBA Championships and look poised to make it a three-peat in 2019.
On top of that, Durant has made headlines for constantly bashing with Twitter and Instagram trolls. He was fined $25,000 for swearing at a Dallas Mavericks fan during a 2018 game.
And oh, Durant confronted Draymond Green after a November road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. That disagreement led to plenty of swearing and yelling between the two, and some believe it's signaling the end of his tenure in Golden State.
But in an interview on Posted Up With Chris Haynes (h/t Dan Feldman of NBC Sports), Durant explained why people hate him. And it's not because of any of those reasons listed above. KD simply believes it stems from his greatness.
"I’ve come to the conclusion that people hate the fact that I play for the Warriors, and people hate the fact that I’m so damn good at basketball," Durant said. "They don’t like that combination. And so, that brings out jealousy, envy...You don’t like that I play for the Warriors and you don’t like that I’m so (expletive), good at basketball."
RELATED: KEVIN DURANT OWNS COURTSIDE FAN [VIDEO]
Durant certainly has a point in that his dominance on the court brings hatred. That's the case with any great athlete or team. Why else are the New York Yankees, New England Patriots and Warriors among the most disliked teams in sports?
After being the ultimate good guy and fan favorite in Oklahoma City, it appears as though Durant is more than happy taking on the role of being among the NBA's most hated villains.
What This Means
KD's words are bound to infuriate his haters even more, but the two-time NBA Champion obviously has no problem with it. Should he win another championship with the Warriors in 2019, it will only fuel the hatred more.