Knicks Rumors: 5 Reasons Kevin Durant Could Choose New York
4. KD Loves New York
One of the most widely accepted realities in the NBA is that players love coming to Madison Square Garden. Whether it be a young man’s love affair with New York City or the history of The Mecca of Basketball, that’s generally true across the board.
When addressing the rumors that he’d sign with the New York Knicks, Kevin Durant called playing in New York, “A blessing,” per Marc Berman of The New York Post.
"“They link everybody with New York City,’’ Durant said after the Thunder’s shootaround at the Garden. “It’s one of the greatest cities in the world. It’s not a bad thing. It’s a great city. Great place to visit, great place to live, I’m sure. But they link everybody, not just me. Of course I enjoy playing here and the Garden. Every movie you watch, you had a scene playing basketball in the Garden. Everything reverts back to being in the Garden, whether [it’s] musicians, basketball players. To play here is just a blessing.’’"
That doesn’t guarantee his interest, but it certainly implies that he’ll, at the very least, briefly consider the Knicks as an option.
Playing in New York City is an experience unlike any other in the world of professional sports. The fans are both passionately supportive and unspeakably unforgiving, and that environment opens up a new world of opportunities.
Durant acknowledged as much when he called playing in New York, “Some of the best times of [his] life,” per Berman.
"“I spent some nice time up here playing basketball in New York City. Some of the most memorable times in my life was coming up here, playing outside, just getting the pure love of the game up here. I remember that, always going to remember that the rest of my life and tell my kids about that when I get older. I come from Maryland. We know how big basketball is here.”"
You can’t force a quote like that.
Durant is likely referring to his iconic performance at Rucker Park, during which he played so well that fans rushed the court. It was one of the most important moments of Durant’s legacy as a basketball player, as it validated him in the eyes of the most critical of fans.
For those who missed it:
Unbelievable.
Clearly, Durant isn’t going to be playing home games at Rucker Park. And yes, it’s entirely possible that he’s more inclined to cherish the road games he plays in New York than he is to make this his full-time home.
Durant’s love affair with New York simply cannot be written off as meaningless.
If the Knicks push hard enough, they can sell New York as one of the their advantages over other organizations. New York isn’t the only city Durant likes, but if Phil Jackson can create the type of environment that Durant spoke about in pertinence to Rucker Park, anything can happen.
Between his love for New York and the appeal of the market and organization, Durant could be persuaded to sit down for a meeting with the Knicks.
Next: The Unicorn