No denying it — Kevin Durant will go down as one of the 15 greatest NBA players of all time. His resume speaks for itself. He was a perennial All-NBA player for nearly two decades, an MVP winner, multiple scoring titles and a couple of rings.

Now, what will Durant’s legacy be? That’s up for debate.

Durant is one of the greatest players ever. You can’t deny it, regardless of how you feel. But what will he be most remembered for? Two championships with the Golden State Warriors or his shocking 2016 departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder?

Most would lean toward the latter. Durant’s decision to leave the Thunder for the Warriors had a ripple effect still felt today. He helped Golden State become an NBA dynasty with back-to-back championships upon his arrival. But off-court drama caused him to bolt for other destinations since.

The generational scoring talent combined with the theatrics made him a perfect NBA superstar to be part of Netflix’s ‘Starting 5’ cast. The 37-year-old had his tumultuous final season with the Phoenix Suns documented. They failed to make the NBA playoffs. He was eventually traded to the Houston Rockets.

Poetically enough, Durant was traded the same day the Thunder won their first NBA championship. Now, both sides are days away from OKC being part of the 2025-26 Opening Night as it drops its banner and hands out rings in the annual pregame ceremony on NBC.

Nearly a decade later, Durant opened up about his decision to leave the Thunder. It’s one of the biggest moves in NBA history. Since his departure, he’s left a trail of comments about OKC that have fueled the fanbase to villainize him to the point he gets booed every time he plays there.

“A lot of people in OKC who felt like my talent was taken away from that team,” Durant said. “They resented me for taking away a ‘hypothetical’ championship from them.”

Thunder fans don’t want to hear this, but maybe there’s a sprinkle of truth there. After all, Durant not being able to bring home a Larry O’Brien trophy to his first NBA franchise — ala Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — has puzzled NBA fans and haunted OKC fans.

That said, Durant’s decision to sign with the team that sent him home just a month prior also added salt to the wound. And since that happened, his public comments haven’t helped mend any feelings. Alas, when it’s all said and done, he should be honored for his contributions to the franchise.

One of the best 15 players ever spent nine seasons with your franchise. He had his best individual seasons there. You have to honor that. And I think the Thunder know that. There’s a reason nobody else has worn No. 35 since the PJ Dozier debacle. But that celebration might not happen for a while.