Kevin Durant Jersey Retirement Expected By Two NBA Teams

Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant has a strong case as a future Basketball Hall of Famer. His achievements include two NBA championships, 16 All-Star selections, 12 All-NBA Team selections, and an NBA MVP award.

At 37 years old, Durant still has the capacity to add other achievements to his mantle. He averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists over 78 games, earning an All-NBA Second Team selection. His career longevity could continue to mirror LeBron James, who is still active at 41 years old.

When Durant does decide to retire from his playing career, there’s an argument that he should be honored by multiple NBA franchises. The Athletic’s Jason Jones suggested that his jersey number “definitely will be retired” by the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors.

The Thunder

Durant was drafted by the Thunder, then branded as the Seattle SuperSonics, with the second overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. He quickly developed into a franchise star for the organization, playing alongside Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

His nine-year stint resulted in four Western Conference Finals appearances and one NBA Finals appearance. The Miami Heat prevailed 4-1 over the Thunder in the 2012 NBA Finals, though Durant averaged 30.6 points, 6.0 rebounds**,** and 2.2 assists throughout the series.

While Durant did not bring a championship to Oklahoma City, his production continued to make the franchise a consistent title contender for years. In 2014, he became the first player in Thunder franchise history to win the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award.

Considering that he has spent almost half of his career with the Thunder, as well as his overall impact, there is a strong chance that Durant will have his jersey retired at some point in the future.

The Warriors

Durant experienced significant team success after joining the Warriors in 2016. Led by the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, Golden State was coming off a historic 73-win regular season run.

Golden State had multiple hard-fought duels with the Cleveland Cavaliers for championship glory, but Durant’s two NBA Finals MVP performances elevated the franchise to another level. The Warriors won two consecutive NBA championships, with the rival Cavaliers only winning one game in the NBA Finals between 2017 and 2018.

Although different NBA fanbases might not respond positively to the Warriors potentially retiring Durant’s jersey, he has made enough of an impact during his three-year stint in Golden State to warrant the honor.