Kevin Durant's decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors was not a popular one outside the Bay Area and he decided to lay low after making it. 

The Warriors' newest All-Star said he did not leave his home for two days after deciding to leave NBA franchise the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

"I didn't leave my bed, because I was like, 'Man, if I walk outside somebody might just try to hit me with their car or say anything negative to me. I just stayed in," Durant told USA Today.

"I was trying to process it all. I wanted to be around family, and positive support. It felt different.

"I mean I've been somewhere for so long and then to make a change like that [which] nobody knew was coming, that nobody didn't think I would do, of course I didn't know how it would be received afterwards. But at some point, I just said, 'Look man, life goes on. Life moves on, and I can't hide forever,' so I just had to face it."

News that the highly sought-after free agent Durant intended to sign with the Warriors broke earlier in July.

A flood of criticism immediately followed, but Durant was not surprised. 

"I thought about [being perceived as the proverbial villain], but in life when you make decisions based on everyone else, I think it's the wrong decision," Durant said.

"I can't make a decision on my life because everybody else is going to be upset about it. I just told myself to put me first, to really think about what I wanted, and that's what I wanted. We'll see what happens."

Durant said that his decision to leave the only NBA home he has ever known had nothing to do with longtime team-mate Russell Westbrook, despite rumours he was unhappy that the Thunder offense flowed through Oklahoma City's other All-Star. 

"Nah, it wasn't [a factor]. I mean obviously coming out now [that] I'm gone, all these reports are going to come out," Durant added.

"I can't really control it, but I just made a decision based on where I wanted to go, man. It was as simple as that. We can think about all the reasons and the factors and what factored in, but it was simple. That's where I wanted to play basketball."