The United States of America turned 240-years-old on Monday morning, yet it's free agent NBA forward Kevin Durant that stole the show.
Durant, who played his entire NBA career with the Oklahoma Thunder, the team that drafted him in 2007 when it was still the Seattle SuperSonics, announced earlier today he would join the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors finished the 2015-16 campaign with a 73-9 record before ultimately falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Though the Warriors are still without LeBron James, they will probably the favorites to win the 2016-17 NBA title.
Ohio State Buckeyes of past and present, like most of the sporting world, have some thoughts on the move.
Buckeye wide receiver Johnnie Dixon went back to 2010, a time when Durant felt differently about joining a team he couldn't beat:
...... pic.twitter.com/Y8dQE2h8zl
— Johnnie L. Dixon III (@YoungKing_JD5) July 4, 2016
Cornerback Travis Howard doesn't seem concerned about LeBron's future title chances:
Just like that pic.twitter.com/WRnvUuL3Jk
— Travis howard (@Travishoward_7) July 4, 2016
Wide receiver Noah Brown is done with the NBA in its entirety:
Just lost any interest i had left in NBA basketball
— Noah Brown (@Nb_Eight0) July 4, 2016
Former DB Dustin Fox wants to just skip to the 2017 NBA Finals:
Let's just fast forward to the finals. Why play the regular season? pic.twitter.com/sIIDeE8l35
— Dustin Fox (@DustinFox37) July 4, 2016
Former safety Tyvis Powell is looking to the silver lining for Thunder point guard Russell Wilson:
Westbrook might be better off. He's free to do whatever he wants.
— Tyvis Powell (@1Tyvis) July 4, 2016
Kam Williams' hair foresees more Warrior dominance:
This is legit scary pic.twitter.com/RyFHis6dIg
— Kam Williams (@kd__will) July 4, 2016
He's also not playing anybody in 2K who uses the Warriors:
I'm not playing anyone who gets the warriors on 2k https://t.co/WMEMO1QnkP
— Kam Williams (@kd__will) July 4, 2016
Former Basketbuck bigman Evan Ravenel says there's only one logical move for Dwyane Wade to make:
Bruh D Wade need to go to the Cavs now.
— Evan Ravenel (@e_rav24) July 4, 2016
Cornerback Marshon Lattimore, from Cleveland, is not impressed with Durant's move:
KD that's terrible, can't beat em join em huh?
— Lou Will (@shonrp2) July 4, 2016
Former Basketbuck swingman David Lighty wants to see Westbrook return to LA, where he played in college:
Westbrook to LA next year!!
— Dave Lighty (@OSULighty23) July 4, 2016
Former linebacker Darron Lee sees a difference between LeBron James' and Durant's moves:
Also you cannot compare this to Bron. He didn't join a 73-9 team.
— Darron Lee (@DLeeMG8) July 4, 2016
Left tackle Jamarco Jones thinks this may be the end for LeBron:
I really wanted Bron to win a few more
— Jamarco Jones (@jjones_74) July 4, 2016
But former Buckeye two-guard Ron Lewis sees potential chemistry issues ahead for Golden State:
At least Miami knew Lebron was the main superstar. Gstate it's gonna get ugly, whose the superstar???
— Ron Lewis (@LEW_100) July 4, 2016
Erick Smith, a Clevelander, isn't a fan of Durant's move either:
I just want to see the best play against the best. I ain't got nothing against KD but that move was weak.
— Thugnificent (@RestUpBoog) July 4, 2016
Cornerback Joshua Norwood sums up Laker fans' feelings:
Just give my lakers sometime to develop
— Messiah. (@the_wait_) July 4, 2016
Mike Weber points out that LeBron James' legacy could be the big winner in all of this:
Now if lebron beat them again don't say he's not the best player ever
— Mike Weber (@mikeweberjr) July 4, 2016
Of course, the actual big winner in this is the NBA. It's not every year its free agent moves control the summer sports landscape.
