
There have been many great moments across NBA history, but some may stand out more than others depending on who you ask. For Warriors star Draymond Green, the four-year stretch from 2015 to 2019 is the greatest period in NBA history
Draymond Green: “2015 to 2019 is in my opinion the best era of NBA basketball… And you coming to the Warriors elevated it so much to where that’s why it became that. We never really experienced that era of basketball that we experienced had you not come to the Warriors. That’s actually what elevated the game and it elevated teams.”
Kevin Durant: “If I stay in OKC, I think I’m passing up on something so incredible. This ain’t a regular opportunity, that’s how I was feeling. And I didn’t know exactly how it would play out but it just felt like this would be a huge, huge shift.”
Kevin Durant began his career with the SuperSonics back in 2007 and he was a star from the very beginning. As he rose to stardom in the NBA, Durant felt increasing pressure to win a championship, especially considering he was on one of the best teams in the league.
So when the Thunder lost in the 2016 Western Conference Finals, Durant began to question if they were the best place for him to maximize his career. That summer Durant signed with the Warriors and according to Draymond it began the best era in NBA history.
The Warriors, once an insignificant franchise, changed the game itself during the peak of their dynasty, which stretched across four historic seasons. It began in 2015, when Stephen Curry’s breakout campaign put the whole world on notice.
After losing the 2016 Finals, the Warriors responded by adding Kevin Durant, who would lead them to back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. The summer of 2019 was the last time we saw the Warriors dynasty together, but overall it was a resounding success that most players would love to replicate for their career.
In that stretch, the Warriors dominated the competition and exposed the NBA world to the true power of the three-pointer. The Warriors were changing the league before our very eyes and teams scrambled to try and catch up.
Thanks to superior shooting and elite defense on the perimeter, the Warriors made history as 3x title winners and are widely regarded as one of the best teams ever assembled for their talent and unprecedented perimeter shooting.
It was a miserable time for opposing teams but nobody complained more than the fans. Citing a lack of parity and predictability in the outcomes, fans rebelled against the Warriors dynasty even though they raised the entire league to a higher standard.
At 36 years old, Kevin Durant is long gone from the Warriors and he even rejected the chance to reunite with his championship teammates this season. Instead, he opted to stay in Phoenix, where he’s averaging 26.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game on 43.0% shooting this season.