While my time on this blue marble of ours has been limited to 29 years, I know full well that people often change their minds when the perception of greener pastures await.
Those who follow professional basketball saw that mindset firsthand this week when superstar Kevin Durant opted to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for the bay. To be more specific, Durant chose to join the Golden State Warriors, who are loaded with the likes of reigning MVP Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
Suddenly, the team that was ostracized (and rightfully so) for blowing a sure NBA championship last month now becomes the front runner to hoist next year’s title. God bless America, indeed.
But much of the discussion that hit social media this past week was whether Durant’s move was ethically sound in the sports frame of mind.
It’s been documented that Durant had previously said he was committed to the Thunder organization.
With a few key strokes on a webpage, Durant changed all of that and left for the prospect of winning an elusive NBA championship. He now leaves behind a jaded Oklahoma City fan base that used his Thunder jerseys as Fourth of July barbecue kindling.
Sadly, such a trend is becoming far too common in today’s sports world. Team loyalty doesn’t exactly mean much in this day and age of free agency and endorsement deals.
In my mind, that’s what has led to creation of these super teams, which sometimes will see multiple superstars band together for the quest of a championship.
Kudos to those who can pull it off well and ensure egos don’t clash.
For the sake of argument, let’s ask ourselves this – who can blame these athletes?
It’s not always feasible for one superstar to shoulder the majority of the load on his back anymore and still win a championship. Gone are the days of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
LeBron James was highly criticized (and rightfully so) when he infamously made his decision to join the Miami Heat a few years ago. His television special on making that choice was a bad PR move.
The move itself, however, paid off, as James won multiple NBA titles that had eluded him.
While that ideology is not fair to the fans, or to the organization, it is the way the business of sports is changing.
Much like most Americans, professional players make moves to benefit their careers and their livelihood.
It’s hard to say if an athlete’s decision to stay or go with a team is the right one. There are always different scenarios or circumstances that play out.
But we should no longer be surprised when they do so.
