Kevin Durant Accused Of Riding 'Somebody's Coattails' To Achieve Success

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett criticized Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Golden State Warriors and admitted that he would never have been able to do the same in order to ride somebody else’ “coattails” to achieve success.

The small forward’s decision to join the Warriors from Oklahoma City Thunder just a few months after they had lost the 2016 Western Conference Finals to the same opponents received criticism from a certain section of players and NBA fans.

Durant’s move was criticized because it made it clear that he wanted to join a winning team – as the Warriors were the best offensive team in the division and already consisted of two of the best backcourt shooters and defensive duo in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala respectively.

Garrett reignited the criticism after Durant and the Warriors went on to capture their second consecutive NBA Championship defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games this season. The small forward also picked up his second NBA Finals MVP after averaging 28.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 7.5 assists

"KD broke the league," Garrett said during an interview on WKRK-92.3 in Cleveland on Thursday, as quoted by the ESPN.

"With KD, you just stick him in, and he scores," Garrett added. "You already knew what they had. They were 73-9 before, and you put the second-best player in the world on an already all-time great team, and of course you're going to have success, pretty easy success. Anyone can have an off night and they can still find a way to win."

Durant signed a two-year deal when he joined the Warriors in 2017 and can be a free agent this summer. However, the forward has made it clear that he wishes to remain with the Bay Area side and has an option to sign a four-year deal worth around $160m.

Garrett believes it is the right decision as he feels there is no reason to leave a team that is likely to continue challenging for the championship in the coming years.

"If I were him I would've never made a move like that in the first place," the Browns’ defensive end said. "Me, I'm too competitive to try and ride on somebody's coattails to get a W.”

“But for him, you might as well stay at the spot you're at now. There's no point in leaving since you've already taken that moniker where he's been called the snake and cupcake and all that. You might as well stay and just keep on winning," he said.

Durant, however, remains unconcerned by the complaints that his move to the Warriors ruined the NBA by making the reigning champions almost unbeatable. They currently have four All-Stars on their roster and any one player can have an off-night and they can still manage to beat any opponent in the league.

"My responsibility is to my skills. My responsibility is to myself. I'm not worried about the NBA. That's their job. They make too much money. They ain't paying me enough to dictate the NBA. I should be making more money if all that's on me. My responsibility is to whatever team I play for,” Durant told Yahoo Sports on June 9.