Kevin Durant returned to Oklahoma City for the first time since leaving the team during free agency over the summer, and Thunder fans welcomed their former All-Star with a parade a boos that echoed throughout Chesapeake Energy Arena on Saturday.
a very unwarm welcome for Kevin Durant pic.twitter.com/Ux4j89QtXS
— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) February 12, 2017
Fans also booed Durant when he took the court for pre-game warmups, but his Beats by Dr. Dre headphones likely come with a noise-cancellation feature specifically designed for events like tonight’s.
Thunder fans booing KD as he takes the floor pregame. pic.twitter.com/ViwMSeA31X
— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) February 12, 2017
Russell Westbrook couldn’t help but smile.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7971129/20170211191804.jpg)
Durant left his running mate in Oklahoma City for the Golden State Warriors in a controversial decision that stunned NBA players, executives and fans alike.
The Warriors overcame a 3-1 deficit to eliminate the Thunder in last season’s Western Conference Finals. They went on to blow a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals, falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7. The Finals loss paved the way for Durant to join Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in Golden State.
The Warriors and Thunder have played twice this season, each time at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Golden State won those two contests by a combined 47 points.