The Phoenix Suns get a unique look into the life of an NBA superstar in the new season of the [Netflix documentary _Starting 5_](https://www.netflix.com/title/81720808), which followed five stars last season -- including Suns forward Kevin Durant. One thing that rings out loud and clear in the very first episode: Durant and Charles Barkley have beef.
That's obviously a weird back-and-forth for Suns fans to witness, as both stars have worn the purple and orange and competed for the franchise. Barkley may have reached the highest heights with the Suns, but he also competed over 30 years ago; for many young Suns fans, Durant's stardom burns much brighter.
What is interesting is that Durant's words for Barkley came during last season as Netflix captured them, but they referred to an argument from years ago -- about what Durant accomplished even further back. While the fight is between two Suns stars, it has nothing to do with Phoenix.
Kevin Durant spent part of three seasons in Phoenix, falling well short of accomplishing his goal of winning a title in the desert. It would have been the very first title for the Suns; despite 33 playoff appearances in their 58 years of existence, not once has the franchise brought home a championship.
They didn't these past few years, either, denying Durant the satisfaction and acclaim of winning a title as a team's best player. He does have two rings to his name, and even two Finals MVP awards, but many still point fingers and say he didn't "earn" those titles fair and square.
Nearly a decade ago now, Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder and joined the Golden State Warriors. This wasn't like when he joined the Phoenix Suns, who were transitioning from one version of a playoff team to another; it also wasn't like when he joined the Brooklyn Nets and tried to build something from scratch.
Durant joined the Warriors after they won 73 games and dispatched Durant's Thunder team in the Western Conference Finals. Together, he and Stephen Curry led a stacked team to unparalleled success: three straight NBA Finals, two titles (quite possibly three if Durant doesn't tear his Achilles in the Finals) and one of the most dominant postseason runs ever in 2017.
Durant was resplendent, averaging 30, 7 and 4.5 while shooting the lights out and going toe-to-toe with LeBron James and coming out victorious not once but twice. It should have been the validating high point of his career.
Instead, the criticism and excuses and even vitriol poured in. That Durant didn't win on his own. That he couldn't make it happen as the top dog. That he joined a team that belonged to Stephen Curry and led by Draymond Green and was just a high-octane passenger.
Charles Barkley poured gasoline on the fire
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That's where Barkley comes in. He famously conjured a metaphor that continues to irk Durant and his fans. He said that Durant was merely a bus driver, so he didn't deserve to be called a two-time champion. "If you ain't driving the bus, don't walk about talking about being a champion" Barkley said, as recaptured by _Starting 5_ in episode one.
No one who follows Durant's work on social media as a troll and instigator would be surprised that Durant is still bothered. When Barkley's words were brought up, Durant immediately fired back. "I done rode the bus, I done filled the gas tank up, I was the gas, I was the wheels, the axles, the brakes...I was behind the bus pushing that m\*\*\*\*\*\*\* \*\*\*\*\*!"
Longtime Phoenix Suns fans love Charles Barkley. He was funny, he was brash, and he gave his all for the Suns and very nearly won them a title. Current NBA fans tend to love Barkley for his honest and often hilarious takes about the modern game.
Is it worth picking sides? Perhaps not. Durant isn't even on the Suns anymore himself, having been traded to the Houston Rockets this summer. His time in Phoenix was disappointing, not just for fans but likely for Durant himself. While he continues to bluster and clap back at critics, perhaps on the inside he is still seeking that validation for himself. Can he win a title "driving the bus"?
It didn't happen in Phoenix. And while no one can take away his rings and trophies from his two titles in Golden State, the chatter around Durant has not faded. Something is still lacking from the career of one of the greatest to ever lace 'em up.