January 17, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; TNT analyst Charles Barkley talks outside the Staples Center before the start of the game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Charles Barkley isn’t a fan of Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Golden State Warriors in free agency this summer.
In fact, he’s going so far as to say Durant is trying to “cheat his way into a championship.”
Barkley never won an NBA title in his illustrious 16-year NBA career. So it’s easy to see why he might be bitter about seeing guys like Durant and even LeBron James back in 2010 chasing a dream-team scenario to land a ring.
But in no way, shape or form is what Durant did, joining the Warriors this summer, a form of cheating. And, let’s not forget Barkley made a similar choice when he joined up with Hakeem Olajuwon and Scottie Pippin in 1996.
This is the case of a player who sees his best opportunity to win, and he took it. Yes, joining Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala puts Durant in a position to be a featured player in one of the most potent NBA lineups in the history of the game. But it’s not cheating.
Not only that, but Durant’s decision can actually be considered courageous in a way. He had to know he’d have plenty of detractors, as we’re clearly seeing with many who share Barkley’s view. Still he made his decision to chase a ring.
But making a business and personal decision to make tons of money while pursuing your ultimate dream is essentially the American Dream.
Let’s not knock a guy for pursuing his dream. Let’s give thanks that he has the opportunity to do so. We’d all be so lucky.