A Turn for the Worst
Anyone who was a fan of wrestling either as kid or those still enjoying today, enjoys a good “Heel Turn”. For those unfamiliar a “Heel Turn” is when one of the protagonist “good guys” becomes the antagonist, and begins to take on more of a villain role. This is something we have seen for a long time in wrestling with many of the greats, and is a way to rebrand, and create a new image for the person. This normally leads to greater attention, depth, and a new found engagement with the character. Now that I have gotten that explanation out of the way I will let it be known that other than the aforementioned concept this piece has nothing to do with wrestling. I say that because “Heel Turns” do wonders in the world of professional wrestling, but don’t translate so well in the regular world.
It seems Kevin Durant has taken a “Heel Turn” and I know many that don’t seem to be enjoying it. Through a lot of the moments he has had in recent years he has become a tougher person to align with for many; and very difficult to like for some. The part that makes it so hard to watch is that right now, skill-wise he may be playing the best basketball he ever has. His abilities and talents seem to be at their peak, but at this very moment, as a person, he is just hard to like. This is something people also struggled with, with Kobe during a certain time. Eventually once Kobe hit his “Old Man” phase as the wiser battle-tested Sensei we see him as today, he won over everyone; but there was a time where some were standoffish. Around the time Shaq departed with the ensuing moments, and those few years afterwards, he wasn’t for everyone. Kobe did end up navigating it well. He showed more personality than we ever saw, became more relatable, and eventually everything was fine. However, with KD this is a bit different. Some of the things he has done are far beyond those of Kobe. To say the least, it is a steep mountain to climb with some legitimate obstacles to overcome, which I’m not sure Durant is prepared or cares to attempt to fight through.
We all know where these feelings started with most. His departure from the Thunder is something that still doesn’t sit well with many people. The “can’t beat them join them” mentality has been said for a long time, but has never been the view of a competitor. The move, and how and when it happened, are all still a head scratcher for me, if I’m being honest. However, that is topic that could be discussed for hours, and this isn’t the time for it to happen. Beyond the move itself and how it happened, there was the burner account situation. The fact that the statements and views weren’t delivered directly speaks to one thing, but there is a bit more to it. Burner account or not we have all pretty much had moments where we just need to put the phone down. That’s something KD struggles with. Whether it’s responding in a DM or those hidden jabs, there are moments when someone near him whether personal or professional needs to let him know, “just put the phone down bro.” I completely understand that many of us will never understand the pressures and scrutiny he has to handle, but calling a spade a spade, he doesn’t always handle it well. He isn’t the only one we see letting the tweets and comments section get to him, but it’s tough to watch someone as talented and accomplished as he is react. Those reactions also creates stigmas about him for people. Which once paired with the OKC departure just amplify the feelings of him not having the thickest skin. It isn’t just him either. There are also moments when some of the people close to him seem to be speaking on things that he should keep tight to the vest. Being in the spotlight you also have to reel in those people around you when it comes to addressing things, and that doesn’t always happen. We live in a world where everything said lasts forever. There is no deleting a post, because someone most likely saw it and saved it. What’s said has to be much more calculated, whether written or verbal. Those things combined with the burner tweets, it’s gotten to a point where some wouldn’t be surprised if he is just funneling statements and views through others; and it’s a shame that people have to even wonder now because of everything that has happened.
After his first championship, he released his “Debate This” campaign. It spoke to a lot of what I talked about today. It was a great ad, taking on the doubters and celebrating his first moment as a champion. However, there may be an ad from years back that shed light on what’s going on today. It happened in a very light way describing Durant as a “bad man” due to some of the highlight moments he had on the court, but his “Not Nice” campaign seemed to foreshadow what is going on today. When you look at his overall demeanor things appear to have just shifted. There have even been moments on court where he has done things that just don’t add up. Remember this is all coming from a man that once chose to tattoo his torso instead of his arms and legs to promote a certain thing while on court as an athlete. That same guy is now cold in many interviews, at times underhanded on the court with unnecessary chippy play, and now after last weeks fiasco potentially checked out on the possibility of a future in Golden State.
There is hope for many of us in these situations. It takes some hard looks in the mirror and a lot of self-reflection rooted in ownership of one’s ways. I know we all want the best for Kevin Durant. We want him to win. To be undoubtably celebrated. And to be recognized for his feats without comparison. But, at the moment he has to realize that he is pushing many people away. It may not affect many of his endeavors. It may not affect his stats, success, or NBA legacy. But, it will impact how he is remembered. Years down the line there may become a “but” when he is mentioned. And for a man where some people currently view his titles with an asterisks next to them, why not remove those types of things?
