In the five games needed for the Warriors to eliminate the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, Kevin Durant posted one of the most incredible performances in basketball. Durant became the most efficient scorer in NBA Finals history, a goal he likely set for himself when he made the controversial decision to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for Golden State last summer.
Kevin Durant’s ‘Debate This’ Nike commercial perfectly captures the story of his career
They called Durant “weak” when he first came to the NBA, and “soft” for joining the Warriors. Now, you call him champion and Finals MVP.
The end result was liberating, an essence perfectly captured in this one-minute Nike ad titled “Debate This,’ which aired first during the commercial break after the the final buzzer. It shed light on Durant’s career, who became arguably the best player in the NBA after being labeled weak for his frame entering the draft and soft for his decision to join the best team in NBA history last season.
Durant’s decision paid off in the end. He averaged 35 points per game on all-world efficiency. He dominated the game on both ends of the floor, doubling as the Warriors’ most versatile player on offense and defense.
It led to one of the greatest postseasons in NBA history, as Golden State went a record 16-1 to capture their second NBA championship in three years. And for Durant, a player who was labeled a traitor after his defection from the Thunder a year ago, the end of his first chapter with the Warriors is only the beginning of the rest of his career.
And that’s got to be a scary thought for the rest of the NBA.
