Dear Beloved Kevin Durant,

Throughout the past few weeks you sure have taken some heat from the state of Oklahoma, but now that the dust is settled, hear us out. You may believe we overreacted (and yes, the people burning your jersey definitely overreacted), but if you learned anything from being a part of the Oklahoma community, you would know this. Oklahomans are the type of people to band together when times get hard. We are used to leaning on one another for support during tragedies such as natural disasters, bombings and even tough Oklahoma City Thunder losses much like Game 7 against Golden State. Through the disasters, we seem to still salvage our happiness, humility and our Oklahoma pride. This has been true for centuries. The real Oklahomans are the ones who stayed and helped each other during the Dust Bowl. The real Oklahomans are the ones who help pick up the pieces of their neighbor’s house after a storm blew it all away. The real Oklahomans have always weathered the storm. Our state sure has been through the wringer, but we have stuck together through it all.

When the news came that our beloved NBA player, Kevin Durant, was leaving us, our hearts were shattered. We felt betrayed by your departure because leaving during a difficult moment is unheard of in the state of Oklahoma. We have grown accustomed to every person around us always being there. Oklahoma has basically adopted you, along with the rest of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and to receive news of you leaving us for Golden State felt like a family member telling us they were moving somewhere up north. We understand that you were not raised in Oklahoma where pride is as strong as it will ever be, but when you became a free agent we still had hope that you had learned from our southern culture. The transition of your teams was even harder for us because Oklahoma had just developed an extreme dislike for the Golden State Warriors from their series with our home team. Never in a million years would we have thought you would leave us for the team containing the vicious fouler, Draymond Green and the cocky three-point shooter, Steph Curry. Knowing that our very own Kevin Durant would give up hope in our proud NBA organization and join a team of cheap jewelry chasers put Oklahoma in a state of shock. It would be like Oklahoma Sooner fans switching to be Oklahoma State Cowboy fans during the bad season of 2014 simply because they were not playing with their usual championship attitudes.

Yes, Kevin Durant, we are extremely disappointed in your decision and your mentality of joining the team you didn’t beat. Just the slightest instance, such as seeing the number 35, will open the wound of Kevin Durant leaving for Oklahomans. But as I said before, Oklahomans will band together and get through this “tragedy.” We will reflect, rebuild and remember. Kevin, you may think you have made the right decision, but we still have Russell Westbrook, Enes Kanter, Dion Waiters, Steven Adams and now Victor Oladipo. We hope you prepare yourself in Golden State, because we are about to bring the Thunder.

Sincerely,

Oklahoma