Phoenix star Kevin Durant says ‘nowadays, I truly, truly don’t care’ about the importance of his NBA legacy

Kevin Durant has been through many stages as a professional basketball player, and now at 34 years of age, he says he can finally loosen up on his legacy, and just worry about enjoying his game and family, which he now says both come first that the NBA history books.

Maybe back in his earlier career he was percieved like an athlete who was too self-indulged in his own image and what heritage he’ll leave behind, but now he seems to insist that’s all well in the past.

Suns superstar Kevin Durant unplugged at @TheAthletic: "I don't care about legacy. I used to…I truly just want to go out there and produce." On "gymnastics" done to discredit, summer workout with Devin Booker, Nets exit, more.https://t.co/pEgv2LzZJ4

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“I don’t care about legacy,” Durant said, via The Athletic. “I used to. I used to want to carve out a lane or space in this game for myself that people can remember, but it’s become too much of a thing now. It just becomes too much of a focus on other people. What’s he done, what’s he done? Comparisons. Before, when we wasn’t doing all this debating, I cared about it … I’m about to be in the same breath as these top guys. It was big.

“Nowadays, I truly, truly don’t care. I truly just want to go out there and produce, be the best that I could be, go home, hang with my family, that’s it.”

The veteran star explained that his philosophy on the game started to change after he signed with Golden State in 2016. At the time, he was under a lot of criticism, as he decided to join the then-reigning champions instead of building a team against them.

“Once I left to go to the Warriors [in 2016], I figured any logical thing, when it comes to me it’s out of the window,” the player said.

“When it comes to me, people are not going to think in a logical way or simply look at what I’ve done and say that’s it. They gotta add a narrative to it; they gotta push something to discredit me,” Durant explained how the media worked against him. “Once I left to go to the Warriors, it’s been the gymnastics on how to discredit me every step of the way.”

For Durant, learning to accept things as they are was the only way to find peace with his stardom

“It’s like, damn, that’s not even fun, no more like engaging with people because y’all aren’t even being truthful. You move the goalpost every time, you expect the most out of me, and if I don’t reach it, I’m a failure. It’s like, what’s the problem?,” he asked.

“I don’t throw my s— at people,” Durant insisted. “People want their own experience in the NBA. Their experience is their experience. I can’t say anything. I let it be. When some fan says, ‘KD, I don’t like how you did this.’ I can’t be upset about that. That’s your view and how you look at the league. I just learned how to accept that, move forward, and be the best me.”

Even if it’s true or not, just the fact the Durant is learning to ignore detractors is a positive step for a player who’s constantly under fire and always seemed to worry too much about outside opinions early in his career.

Even though he’s definitely still writting his NBA story, there is no doubt whatsoever that the veteran star will be considered one of the best players of this generation. If he was too conquer another title in Arizona, he would build an even stronger case to his name, but if he doesn’t, he’ll always ber remembered as one of the most versatile scorers in NBA history.