Kevin Durant is one of the best players in NBA history. From his scoring abilities to his on-court demeanor, he’s shown why he is revered among basketball circles. One thing Durant also brings, however, is a reputation for generating negativity and getting caught up in controversy. Fans cannot help but ask: Is Durant is cursed? Let’s look at his former teams.

Kevin Durant and the Seattle Supersonics

Getting drafted into the NBA as a Seattle Supersonic, Durant was an exciting addition. By all means, he was easily the best rookie in his class, instantly making the Portland Trailblazers regret taking Greg Oden over him. Sonics’ fans, however, did not get to enjoy Durant for long.

Through no fault of Durant’s, a shady deal between new owner Clay Bennett and his hometown of Oklahoma City meant the Sonics were moving to a new city. Although fans and former owners fought to keep the team, the NBA allowed the move. Durant had to uproot with them during the Thunder rebrand.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder took some time to break into the league’s best teams. But, thanks to the additions of Russell Westbrook and James Harden, the team had one of the best young cores. OKC went from lottery team to contender remarkably fast. By 2012, they reached the NBA Finals, where the Miami Heat took care of them. 

By the first regular-season game the next season, Harden was shipped to Houston. Durant and Westbrook continued dominating for several years, however, as one of the league’s best duos. 

Unfortunately, the team struggled to recreate the magic they had in 2012. In the 2015-16 season, the 73-win Warriors met the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. After holding a 3-1 lead, OKC blew it and Durant followed through on rumors and joined Golden State. 

Golden State Warriors 

As far as wins and losses go, it’s hard to say the Warriors were cursed with Durant. The team won a ring in 2015 and reciprocated on their 3-1 comeback against the Thunder by blowing a 3-1 lead in the finals. As a result, the team wanted Durant to fill in the cracks. The Warriors won two championships in three years there.

The championships the Warriors won in 2017 and 2018 felt different, however. While the team was generationally great, many believed they took the easy path to glory. The team’s penchant for playing injured teams did not go unnoticed. In 2019, Golden State found itself back in the finals, but something was different. Throughout the season, drama unfolded between Durant and Draymond Green.

Durant hurt himself earlier in the NBA playoffs. He tried to come back in the finals, but it ended with a torn Achilles. Plus, Klay Thompson hurt his knee and found out he’d miss most of the following season.

This effectively ended the Warriors’ run in spectacular fashion, and their luck has only worsened since. Durant left that offseason for Brooklyn, where he’ll have to wait an entire season before he can play. 

Brooklyn Nets 

Time will tell what happens in Brooklyn. Durant joined his friends Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan, but even if the team sees some highs with this core, history may show us that the downfall will be rough for Durant’s team.