How did Kyrie and KD get to Brooklyn? Both stars open up

If it seems as if the NBA never went away this offseason, well … it didn’t. Not really. Among the draft, free agency, summer league and the FIBA World Cup, there was plenty to keep even the most avid NBA fans satisfied. But now the real fun begins. It’s time for training camp, followed very quickly by actual preseason games. Before you know it, the Raptors will be raising their championship banner, handing out rings and hosting Zion Williamson for his first NBA game Oct. 22.

But before that happens, players get to meet with the media. We’ll have you covered with all the best media day quotes, anecdotes and shenanigans across the NBA.

Watch Media Day Streaming Live

Remaining media day schedule

Saturday, Sept. 28: Toronto Raptors

Sunday, Sept. 29: LA Clippers

Monday, Sept. 30: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards

Friday, Sept. 27

Brooklyn Nets

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant are teammates in Brooklyn now, and the two of them opened NBA media day Friday.

How KD, Kyrie and DeAndre Jordan came together

Showing off some new moves 🥊🥊 pic.twitter.com/niE0iIbont

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) September 27, 2019

Irving: “With KD and DJ, it was 4:16 in the morning, us just talking about our futures. And how this opportunity ahead of us is something we haven’t had in our careers — the ability to make a choice. Sitting down, actually talking in detail about the future and the investment we had in one another and the investment we wanted to have in Brooklyn. It made sense all the way around. And then having the incredible people they have in the organization made it that much easier. They made us feel like All-Stars. They made us feel like we were supposed to be treated fairly, from the media component, from our teammates, from the first-class service they give here, concierge. And most importantly, for me, was just the family atmosphere.

“They reached out to my family as soon as I committed. And it felt like they were very inclusive with everything they had going on here. And it felt like it was just a step away, being away from home. And they made me feel as comfortable as I could as well as reaching out to KD and DJ and as well as other guys on the team to make sure they know what’s going on. That this is for the future. We’re here to build.”

Durant: “I just evaluated my life up until this point. And once I did that, it was pretty easy to see the direction that I needed to go into. I had some great options on the table with some championship-winning organizations, some smart business minds behind the scenes as well that I could have dealt with around the league, but ultimately, I couldn’t have made a bad decision, but this one was the perfect one for me.”

[What ultimately made you decide that it was time to move on?]

“It was just how I felt. What I wanted to do at that point in my career. What I accomplished in Golden State and Oklahoma City is going to forever be a part of me, and I’m taking those things to the next destination. But I really put all that stuff on the shelf, and when it was time to make that decision, I really didn’t care too much about what I had done in the past. It was more about how I felt in that moment.”

DeAndre Jordan: “I mean we always had conference calls. Now we can group FaceTime. That was big. You might want to thank Apple for that.”

[What was that conversation like?]

“I mean, it wasn’t as exciting as me getting locked in my house a few years ago. But it was cool. It wasn’t any crazy conversation. … It was just like, ‘All right. You guys want to do it?'”

On Durant’s injury and rehab process

Irving: “First and foremost is our family. I think sometimes that can be confused in this league. About who we are as human beings. I’m always going to be an advocate for that. We are humans first, and then we are basketball players.

“There isn’t going to be any pressure from any of us at any time, and I will make sure of that because I have been in that same position of being the guy that’s injured on the team and everyone looking at you like, ‘Are you going to come back anytime soon? If you come back, then this is going to be our championship-caliber team. If you were playing then this would happen.’

“You have to go inside the mind of a competitor and realize that a lot of people have responsibilities for why that ended up happening the way it happened on a national scale. We all know K was not ready to play in that environment. We all know that, whether people want to admit it or not. He was out 31 days, and we put him on a national stage in the Finals to end up selling a product that came before the person Kevin, and now I’m here to protect that. And I’m going to be the protector of that all throughout the year and not allow people to infiltrate the circle.”

Durant: “When I went down, it felt like everybody wanted to put their arms of protection around me. From people I didn’t know to my best friend Kyrie. So it felt like everybody grew protective of me at this time. And I feel like they will continue to be that way, especially involving my health. But, I make my own decisions.”

• Full story – KD’s focus for season: Health, being teammate

Kyrie goes deep on final season in Boston

Irving: “I think around that time, it felt incredible, in terms of the energy that we were building, especially for the future in Boston. It was something that I couldn’t really explain at the time because, personally, I don’t think I was acknowledging the things that were surrounding my life as well. And how to lead this group of guys that I had been traded to.

“I wasn’t drafted by Boston, I had no type of affiliation with Boston before I left Cleveland. There weren’t any works, anything that happened, Boston was a surprise team, with [team owner] Wyc [Grousbeck] and [general manager] Danny [Ainge], that took the chance on trading for me. And, when they did, and the way our first season happened, and also the way the end of the season happened, and having so much youth and so much exuberance and goals set personally, I think that some of the actual knowledge that needed to be had, in terms of being a championship team, takes more than just two years. It takes more than just an environment that you feel just comfortable in.

“‘Hey, I think I want to re-sign here, if you guys have me’ — Boston crowd was immense. It was crazy. They loved me in Boston, I loved the Boston fans. Then, two weeks later, things just got really really rocky for me in terms of when I left, I believe, you know, after the Phoenix thing, I went to my grandfather’s memorial. He passed on Oct. 23, and after he passed, basketball was the last thing on my mind. A lot of basketball and the joy I had from it was sucked away from me. There was a facial expression that I carried around with me throughout the year. Didn’t allow anyone to get close to me in that instance, and it really bothered me. I didn’t take the necessary steps to get counseling or get therapy or anything to deal with someone that close to me dying. I’ve never dealt with anything like that. So, for me, I responded in ways that are uncharacteristic, and, like I said, I had to acknowledge that fact. And I had to acknowledge that fact to the organization first. Because that was our internal bond and trust that we had.