Ever since Kevin Durant arrived in Golden State, he’s had to battle the misconception that he rode the coattails of others to secure his NBA legacy.
This year’s All-Star weekend was supposed to be all about Steph Curry‘s Charlotte homecoming. It was where he grew up watching his father, Dell Curry, play for the Hornets, the place where he first began to formulate his basketball dreams.
Curry’s basketball journey – from overlooked high school recruit to starring at Davidson and ultimately becoming an NBA MVP, three-time champion and perhaps the best shooter the game has ever seen – has been nothing short of remarkable.
But on a night that was supposed to be all about Curry, his Golden State teammate Kevin Durant stole the show to once again prove that despite the plethora of breathtaking talent in the NBA today, KD and LeBron stand alone as the league’s two best players right now.
Durant scored a team-high 31 points for Team LeBron in Charlotte last night, leading his squad back from a 20-point deficit in a 178-164 win over Team Giannis and winning All-Star MVP for the second time in his career.
Curry, who played for Team Giannis, scored 17 points but shot an abysmal 6-for-23, including 4-for-17 from deep. He added nine rebounds and seven assists.
KD, now a two-time All-Star MVP, shot 10-for-15 from the floor and connected on 6-for-9 from deep as Team LeBron set an All-Star Game record for most made 3’s in a game with 35. He also had seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
The 11-year veteran is not expected to opt in to the final year of his contract, worth $31.5 million, with the Warriors at the conclusion of this season. Instead, he’ll test the free agency market this summer.
Other elite players such as Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and Klay Thompson are also expected to test free agency this summer.
Ever since KD arrived in Golden State, he’s had to battle the misconception that he rode the coattails of others to secure his legacy as an NBA champion. He took another chance to remind us all last night that he takes a backseat to no one, even if he’s showing up to play in their backyard.
