Nice article on David West

[DoubleD86]

LeBron is the most guilty of all of them. He basically started it. Other NBA players had done this at the end of their careers (Malone, Payton, Barkley, KG) but LeBron did it in the prime of his career. He was terrified of not winning one.

These guys cant win with fans though. It used to be "they dont want to win they only care about the money" (see A-Rod to the Rangers as one prime example). Now these guys going to teams that give them a better chance to win and the are being blasted for "ring chasing".

These guys now know they will ultimately be judged by rings and they dont want to be the next Barkley, Ewing, Malone, etc. If Durant wins 3 rings with the Warriors in 20 years people will be talking about 3 time champion KD, not that he teamed up with the Warriors to do it.

The bolded part above is what I don't get about sports fans. Basically, the only way to keep fans happy is to stay with the team that drafts you until the fans no longer want you there. We always talk about loyalty to "the team that gave you a chance" (as if they weren't going to be drafted by anyone else) but no one ever gets upset about the loyalty the other way. It's always "about business" when a team cuts or trades a player that is no longer useful or desirable, but somehow it is immoral if players make a business decision.

[Xville]

LeBron is the most guilty of all of them. He basically started it. Other NBA players had done this at the end of their careers (Malone, Payton, Barkley, KG) but LeBron did it in the prime of his career. He was terrified of not winning one.

These guys cant win with fans though. It used to be "they dont want to win they only care about the money" (see A-Rod to the Rangers as one prime example). Now these guys going to teams that give them a better chance to win and the are being blasted for "ring chasing".

These guys now know they will ultimately be judged by rings and they dont want to be the next Barkley, Ewing, Malone, etc. If Durant wins 3 rings with the Warriors in 20 years people will be talking about 3 time champion KD, not that he teamed up with the Warriors to do it.

In my opinion, it a pretty easy to win sports fans over. Just don't be a complete douche. A-rod is a douche on multiple levels, Durant is a douche in many people's minds (mine included) not necessarily just for ring chasing but for the way in which he did it, which is why many thought or still do think lebron is a douche.

It's easy to win with fans...tons of athletes do it every year.

[MuskieXU]

In my opinion, it a pretty easy to win sports fans over. Just don't be a complete douche. A-rod is a douche on multiple levels, Durant is a douche in many people's minds (mine included) not necessarily just for ring chasing but for the way in which he did it, which is why many thought or still do think lebron is a douche.

It's easy to win with fans...tons of athletes do it every year.

Agreed. Dont mistake a few jokes on social media with fans as a whole disliking DWest. He is thought of universally as a consummate professional on and off the court.

[D-West & PO-Z]

In my opinion, it a pretty easy to win sports fans over. Just don't be a complete douche. A-rod is a douche on multiple levels, Durant is a douche in many people's minds (mine included) not necessarily just for ring chasing but for the way in which he did it, which is why many thought or still do think lebron is a douche.

It's easy to win with fans...tons of athletes do it every year.

Durant is a douche for going to a better team? I dont think anyone thought poorly of Durant before he went to GSW. He didnt tell Westbrook before he did it? Who knows what their relationship was like? Obviously not good. I dont think its comparable the way Durant left and the way LeBron left. The reasons they left are the same and the type of teams they left for but not so much the way in which they did it.

A-Rod is a huge douhce but not one thought that when he was in Seattle and the only reason they criticized him going to Texas was because he got so much money.

[Xville]

Durant is a douche for going to a better team? I dont think anyone thought poorly of Durant before he went to GSW. He didnt tell Westbrook before he did it? Who knows what their relationship was like? Obviously not good. I dont think its comparable the way Durant left and the way LeBron left. The reasons they left are the same and the type of teams they left for but not so much the way in which they did it.

A-Rod is a huge douhce but not one thought that when he was in Seattle and the only reason they criticized him going to Texas was because he got so much money.

Durant is thought of a douche right now for leaving a city that was on the brink of winning a championship, and for going to the team that beat him because he couldn't get the job completed. To me, that's pathetic. You have a differing opinion that's fine...there are many people on both sides of the argument.

[Xville]

Agreed. Dont mistake a few jokes on social media with fans as a whole disliking DWest. He is thought of universally as a consummate professional on and off the court.

Yeah overall I think west is a great ambassador of the university. I just think the whole giving up so much money to win a ring story is a little much. Some of the writers make him out to be some kind of martyr for doing so. Not wests fault.

[smileyy]

I mean, he's had career earnings of about $90M. His "sacrifice" means making only about $1.5 or $2M the last couple years.

[GIMMFD]

I mean, he's had career earnings of about $90M. His "sacrifice" means making only about $1.5 or $2M the last couple years.

Yes but how many people do that in his position? Good for him for managing his finances, as everyone who's making that type of money should, but it's not the norm.

[xeus]

I mean, he's had career earnings of about $90M. His "sacrifice" means making only about $1.5 or $2M the last couple years.

He had options to make a LOT more. I might not call it a sacrifice, but certainly he traded cash for a chance at a ring.

[D-West & PO-Z]

He had options to make a LOT more. I might not call it a sacrifice, but certainly he traded cash for a chance at a ring.

Which I think is refreshing but apparently some see as a negative. I dont get it. I get why some people look down on what Durant did but cant see why anyone would look poorly upon D-West for going to GSW.