LeBron James’ Former Teammate Blames Kevin Durant For Not Winning ‘2 More Rings’

Retired NBA star Iman Shumpert is still upset he didn't win against Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors.

LeBron James’ Former Teammate Blames Kevin Durant For Not Winning ‘2 More Rings’

Kevin Durant and Iman Shumpert (Image credits - Bleacher Report)

Kevin Durant is arguably the greatest pure scorer the game has ever seen. Drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder as the number two pick in the 2017 NBA draft, Durant has accomplished and won everything in the game.

He has completed 18 seasons in the NBA. During his career, he has played for franchises such as Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets. However, his move to the Warriors after spending nine seasons with the Thunder was criticized by many.

Durant spent three years in Golden State. During his stint, he won two championships in three NBA Finals. He was named the Finals MVP in 2017 and 2018.

In both finals, the Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. Iman Shumpert, who was a part of the Cavs roster in 2017, called out Durant and blamed him for costing him two NBA titles.

You the reason I missed out on two rings, dog. It was your fault how you went and joined some (expletive) that didn’t need you. You know what I’m saying? They didn’t need you.

Iman Shumpert on Gil’s Arena

While Iman Shumpert mentioned two rings, he was not even in the player rotation during the playoffs in 2018. Hence, some fans felt it was a bit bold for him to say that Durant costed him two championships.

When Durant decided to sign with the Dubs as a free agent in 2016, the move was heavily criticized in the NBA world and based on Shumpert’s statements, it looks like the move bothered the Cavs as well.

The move turned the Warriors into an unbeatable team. Prior to Durant’s move, they won the championship in 2015 and went 73-9 in the 2015-16 campaign.

The Warriors beat Durant and the Thunder in seven games in the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Cavs in the Final in seven games. However despite the criticism, Durant was left unbothered by it.

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Kevin Durant fired back at Iman Shumpert and then deleted the post

Kevin Durant joined the likes of two-time MVP Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green when he joined the Dubs. The signing of the former MVP was a reactionary move to the Cavs defeating them in the NBA Finals in the previous season.

After Shumpert’s statements, the 37-year-old took issue and responded to Shumpert on Instagram Threads.

Toughen up, shorty. Thanks for taking care of that, man, Gil; he was dead in the water.

Kevin Durant on Instagram Threads

Durant is well known for being active on social media and doesn’t stay quiet about criticism directed at him. But surprisingly, he took down the post soon after.

It has been a decade since Durant signed for the Warriors. But it looks like some players are still sour about hypotheticals about what the league would have been like if the move never happened.

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Marquis Teague compares Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard

Just like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard is a two-time champion and a two-time Finals MVP as well. Both players have been the best players in the league at some point in their careers. However, they have very different styles of play.

Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard
Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard (Image credits – The Sporting News)

Marquis Teague compared the two superstars on a historical level.

Kawhi Leonard is better than Kevin Durant to me. I’ve never seen KD carry a team like that… If he was on that Toronto team, they wouldn’t have won. And I love KD, no disrespect, but that’s just a fact.

Marquis Teague on Club 520 podcast

While both Leonard and KD have two titles to their name, they have taken very different paths in their careers.

Leonard won two unlikely titles as the NBA Finals MVP for the San Antonio Spurs very early in his career and his second title with the Raptors at his peak in 2019. He established himself as one of the best two-way players in the league and has two Defensive Player of the Year awards.  

On the other hand, Durant does not get the same credit for his two championships as he won them with the Warriors. Nevertheless, he is a former MVP, four-time scoring champion and recently passed Michael Jordan for fifth place on the NBA’s career scoring list.

Durant’s failed tenures with the Nets and Suns caused his reputation to take a hit, but he has a chance to redeem himself with the Houston Rockets next season. Meanwhile, Leonard will return to the Raptors after getting traded there in the summer.

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