Kevin Durant’s three-year stint with the Brooklyn Nets was supposed to be a championship run for the ages, but it ended in disappointment—and a recent viral moment suggests the scars might still linger. A fan on X posted a compilation of clips showing Durant glancing at the three-point line before shooting, paired with a highlight of his game-tying two-pointer in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks. The post jokingly claimed Durant has “PTSD” from that heartbreaking loss, and KD’s response—a retweet with an intense image of a soldier—has fans buzzing about whether he’s acknowledging the pain or just leaning into the meme.
Let’s rewind to 2021. Durant was a man on a mission in that Game 7, dropping a playoff-career-high 48 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and dishing six assists in 53 minutes. With the Nets down by two in the final seconds of regulation, he caught the ball at the top of the key, sized up P.J. Tucker, and drained a turnaround jumper to force overtime—his toe infamously grazing the three-point line, making it a two instead of a game-winner. Brooklyn fell 115-111 in OT, ending their title hopes despite Durant’s heroics. The Nets never got that close again during his tenure, plagued by injuries to Kyrie Irving and James Harden, and internal drama that culminated in Durant’s trade request. He was dealt to the Phoenix Suns mid-2022-23 season after playing 39 games, leaving Brooklyn with a 129-81 record but no hardware to show for it.
The fan’s “PTSD” jab hit a nerve—Durant’s retweet of the soldier meme, often used to depict the lingering effects of trauma, suggests he might still feel the sting of that loss. In that series, he averaged 35.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists on 50.3% shooting, but the image of his sneaker on the line became a defining moment of his Nets era. It’s no secret that experience soured him on Brooklyn—by 2022, he was done, and his trade to Phoenix gave him a fresh start alongside Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
Fast forward to 2025, and Durant’s still making headlines with the Suns. During a recent game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 16—a 120-108 Lakers win—he was spotted in a heated exchange with head coach Mike Budenholzer, sparking rumors of tension. Durant quickly shut that down after Wednesday’s practice, saying, “It’s just in-game stuff—we’re good.” He also had a brief courtside chat with LeBron James during the game, which fueled wild trade speculation on X, with posts like “He’s Definitely Leaving” gaining traction. But Durant, who’s averaging 26.8 points on 52.1% shooting this season, remains focused on leading the Suns, even as they sit at 32-37 and 11th in the West.
That Nets loss might still haunt Durant, but he’s not one to dwell—at least not publicly. His playful retweet shows he can laugh at the past, even if it stings. As the Suns fight for a playoff spot, KD’s got bigger battles ahead, and he’s ready to prove he can still lead a team to the promised land—no matter where his toe lands.
