Through hours spent in the lab perfecting his craft, Kevin Durant earned the right to be the NBA's most in-demand man – to have Tom Brady visit the Hamptons, in all of his Super Bowl-ring-winning glory, to help form a unified New England sports coalition; to have the ultimate, toss-the-rings-on-the-table negotiator, Pat Riley, in his presence; to have The Logo call in to remind Durant of his haunting championship misses, trying to close the deal. That type of deferential, preferential treatment is only reserved for someone who has dedicated himself to become considered one of the three best players in the game.

View photos For Kevin Durant, it was always a basketball decision. (Getty Images) More

This moment – this surprising, seismic shift in the NBA’s power structure that has Durant leaving Oklahoma City for Golden State and leaving, perhaps, the other 29 teams to play for second place for years to come – has been building for nearly two years, with the league anticipating Durant's first venture into the open market from the time LeBron James stunned so many by declaring that he was going home for a purpose greater than basketball. But for Durant, this has always been about a basketball decision, not a show, based solely on the game – and for him, this process was anything but a game.

Durant is seeking championships to validate his career and assume a spot in the discussion of the all-time greats. Seeing how quickly fans and media moved on during his brief injury hiatus was upsetting and served as a reminder of the lasting legacy of Larry O’Brien trophies over any other individual honors. He earned the right to have this moment because of the time spent in the gym, mastering that buttery smooth jump shot through meticulous repetition, because of hours of film study, correcting flaws and finding the most efficient means to thrive on the court. But that dedication wasn't just so Durant could own the first few days in July. Ultimately, that work ethic – and this weekend – was about finally taking annual ownership of a few weeks in June.

At one point in his career, the concept of a one-man, one-team legacy appealed to Durant. Durant watched Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki stay in the same place, win in the same place, and envisioned doing the same in Oklahoma City – until his quest for the rings they possessed, and he lacked, was always interrupted by something. The James Harden trade. Russell Westbrook’s knee. Serge Ibaka’s calf. His own foot. A three-games-to-one collapse against the team he has now joined to the dismay of the place he called home for eight years.

After leading the Thunder past Duncan’s San Antonio Spurs last May, in what could be the sure-fire Hall of Famer’s final game, Durant offered a hint that his mentality could be changing. While discussing the comparisons he shared with Duncan as the long-time face of one of the league’s smallest markets, Durant told The Vertical, “He does stuff his way, and it’s been nothing but successful, and I’m going to handle stuff my way. I’ve had my ups and downs, just like any other person. I did it my way, and I’m trying to create my own path.”

View photos Kevin Durant and Steph Curry are teaming up. (AP) More

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