Draymond Green claims his ‘sweetest’ title with the Warriors came after Kevin Durant’s departure

There’s no denying Draymond Green’s pivotal role in the Golden State Warriors’ success. Over his 13 seasons with the team, the versatile forward has been a linchpin in their system, helping secure four NBA championships. But for Green, the 2022 title holds a special place in his heart, particularly due to the context in which it was won — coming after Kevin Durant’s departure from the franchise.

In 2022, the Warriors shocked many by defeating the powerhouse Boston Celtics in six games to reclaim the NBA title. Green considers that championship the “sweetest” of his career, largely because of the criticism he faced following Durant’s exit from the team.

“I think the sweetest moment for me was winning the championship in 2022,” Green told NBC Sports Bay Area. “And the reason that was the sweetest moment for me was [that] I caught so much flak when Kevin Durant left. ‘You ran KD off, you’re an idiot’”.

Green also recalled how he was heavily criticized not just when Durant left but even when the superstar joined the Warriors. “Like, it’s crazy that I caught flak for KD coming [to the Warriors]. ‘You cried to KD to get him to come here. You cried in the car. Go cry again.’ And then I caught flak for him leaving,” Green added.

Green’s response to the criticism following Durant’s departure

The Warriors forward shared that the backlash he endured after Durant’s departure became a source of motivation for him to prove the doubters wrong. “And so with that, it was so deeply embedded in me that I wanted to prove that I can win again, because y’all are telling me I ruined this franchise because KD decided that he wanted to do something else with his life, that he wanted to live in a different city,” Green explained.

“So how do I shut all of those people up? You go win another championship,” he continued. “And so I think that was one of the biggest moments. Also, everybody saying, ‘Oh man, they’re done. They can’t do it again. It’s over.’ To do that again, I’d say that’s one of the biggest moments”.

Durant’s legacy with the Warriors

Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Warriors in 2016 faced heavy backlash, especially from Oklahoma City Thunder fans. His move came after the Thunder had blown a 3-1 lead to Golden State in the Western Conference Finals. Despite the criticism, Durant’s tenure with the Warriors cemented his legacy as one of the NBA’s greats.

Durant was instrumental in Golden State’s back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. Alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green, Durant dominated the league, earning Finals MVP honors in both title runs.

The Warriors narrowly missed a third straight championship in 2019 when Durant suffered a catastrophic Achilles injury in the Finals against the Toronto Raptors. Without him, Golden State fell in six games, marking the end of an era for the team.