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What happened to Kevin Durant on July 4th, 2016?: Nets star’s cryptic message explained as he congratulates ‘Steezy’ on Warriors title

Samir Mehdi
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What happened to Kevin Durant on July 4th, 2016?: Nets star’s cryptic message explained as he congratulates ‘Steezy’ on Warriors title

Kevin Durant recently posted a tweet saying that his legacy ‘died’ on July 4th, 2016 but what was he references when saying this? 

The Golden State Warriors proved in Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals that the core of Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson is enough to win a title regardless of the pieces around them. Many have used this 4th title of theirs to discredit Kevin Durant and his contributions to GSW’s two straight tiles wins. 

KD won Finals MVP in both 2017 and 2018 while delivering the two identical daggers in two Game 3s that would essentially, be the nail in the coffin for the Cleveland Cavaliers both years. Of course, despite the accolades, the naysayers continued to push the narrative that Kevin Durant did not earn them the right way. 

Durant joining forces with not just a team that had won 73 regular season games but a team that ousted them from the Western Conference Finals that same season did not sit well with a majority of the NBA landscape. 

While Dubs fans rejoiced, NBA fans were disinterested in the product they were receiving as it felt a GSW championship was all but certain with ‘The Slim Reaper’ in the Bay Area.

Also read: “Kevin Durant leaving was a slap in the face for Stephen Curry and us!”: Draymond Green describes what Nets’ star’s departure from Warriors felt like

What was Kevin Durant talking about when he mentioned July 4th, 2016? 

With the Warriors winning their title this ‘22 season, many have come to believe that this actual means something worse for KD’s legacy and reputation. Their reasoning is that they never needed him in the first place and that has been proven with the title win. 

Kevin Durant, who is extremely active on Twitter, got into yet another classic back-and-forth with a fan on the social media platform. When the ‘fan’ said that Durant’s legacy had died, he responded by saying, “I been dead since July 4th 2016.” 

This significance of this date, as perhaps the entirety of the NBA world remembers, is that this was the date that KD revealed to the world that he would be signing with the Golden State Warriors after becoming a free agent. 

So, according to his tweet, he’s been dead ever since making the decision to leave Oklahoma City and join forces with their conference rivals. Seems as though the Nets star, after not getting past the semis in 3 years in Brooklyn, may be regretting ever leaving not just Golden State, but the Thunder too.

Also read: “Kevin Durant was trust fund baby with the Warriors”: Shannon Sharpe reveals how Stephen Curry had been collecting the receipts

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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