It was already national news when the Boston Celtics enlisted the help of some guy named Tom Brady to aid their efforts in recruiting superstar free agent Kevin Durant.
Although the 27-year-old ultimately took his talents to Golden State, we just found out how much of an impact the four-time Super Bowl champion made.
Following a Team USA basketball practice at UNLV on Tuesday, Durant finally opened up extensively to the media about the factors going into his decision, how he handled the ensuing criticism, his relationship with Russell Westbrook, how he expects to be received in his return to Oklahoma City, and more.
Hidden in all the talk about the Warriors and Thunder, Durant admitted that Brady's presence was nearly enough to persuade him to head east.
"I was ready to just say, 'Alright let's go. I'm ready to go,' seeing Tom Brady there," Durant said of his meeting with the Celtics in the Hamptons. "Seeing someone so successful at his craft, and just a great ambassador for the game of football and the city of Boston, it was great to be in the presence of greatness.
"But at the same time, I knew I couldn't let that distract me. (But) he was great. It was great to see him."
Considering the tempting lures of either staying loyal to the Thunder and bringing Oklahoma City its first championship or joining three fellow 2016 All-Stars in the Bay Area and working to assault the record books, it would've truly been something if both teams' recruitment bids were outdone by an athlete without any affiliation to the NBA.
If there's any lesson here, it seems that we can't count Brady out of any competitive activity.
More on Durant:
-- Charles Barkley Criticizes Kevin Durant, Forgets Own History
-- Why We Don't Hate Kevin Durant
-- Oklahoma City Arena Removes Kevin Durant Banner in Sad Fashion
