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Kevin Durant's former OKC teammate recalls the day he left for Golden State: "I was like, 'Nah'"
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- Kevin Durant's former OKC teammate recalls the day he left for Golden State: "I was like, 'Nah'"
On July 4th, 2016, Kevin Durant changed the NBA when he left the Oklahoma City Thunder and joined the Golden State Warriors .
KD's groundbreaking move didn't just change the landscape of the league for the remainder of the decade, but it also left the whole basketball world in shock. At the time, it was uncertain whether or not Durant would leave the Thunder.
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If he didn't come back to OKC, reports suggested that the Boston Celtics or the San Antonio Spurs were the primary landing spots for him.
Not a single thought was given to the Warriors, especially considering KD had come off a heartbreaking Western Conference Finals loss against them, where the Thunder led three games to one, but ultimately lost the series.
In that season, Golden State shattered the record for most regular-season wins with 73, a record that still remains today. Although they lost in the finals that year, also in tragic fashion by blowing a 3-1 lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers , it was undeniable that the Warriors didn't need another superstar on their roster.
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For Durant, however, that didn't matter.
Morrow recalls his shock at KD leaving
Like any other basketball fan, the rest of the Thunder players found out about Durant's decision through the media. One of them was a sharpshooter, Anthony Morrow , who, like the rest of us, couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"I'll never forget it," said Morrow. "I was leavin' my daddy's house. Headed to the crib. I had to pray about it. I was like 'd—n.' S—t got crazy, bro."
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"I text [Durant]. I was like, 'Bro. Listen. You my brother, bro. You made your decision how you supposed to make it. You a grown man. I just want you to be successful.' He text me like, 'Appreciate you, bro,'" he added.
"Put the phone down. I'm like, 'F—k this n—a, man. Like for real, bro. He gon' see this and he gon' say something. I love that man, that's my brother for life. But in that moment, I was like, 'Nah.'"
Despite the unbelievable news, Morrow remained calm to wish his former teammate the best. But from then on out, it was war.
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It would be understandable if Durant had left for any team other than the Warriors. Not only were they the best team ever, but the Thunder had already established a rivalry with Golden State, believing they had figured them out.
With that, OKC already had a championship-level roster with KD and Russell Westbrook , so that only added fuel to the fire.
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Westbrook was done with KD
Following Durant's departure, Westbrook was a man on a mission for the entire 2016-17 season. As a result, Russ rewrote NBA history by averaging a triple-double throughout the season and being the first player to do so since Oscar Robertson in 1962 and carrying the Thunder to the sixth seed in the West, which earned him the MVP award.
"I had to text Russ. I text Russ some s—t. Russ was like, 'I'm good bro. I'm good.' This is sounding like some Tupac s—t. Like, cool bro. I'll see you at training camp. He back in the gym, bro. Nah, I'm not even calling him. Maniac next season," said Morrow.
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Every matchup between Durant and Westbrook was a movie, to say the least. Westbrook felt the rage and heartbreak after his running-mate had left his side without a goodbye or a heads-up, let alone to a rival.
Russ carried the Thunder for the next three seasons before he himself left them in 2019 for the Houston Rockets , but this time, like a hero, instead of a villain like KD.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jul 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
