After all the speculation surrounding the quarterback's departure from, and return to, the North Carolina football team, Durant spoke Wednesday for the first time since he announced his intent to transfer on Feb. 25.
The 5-foot-11, 227-pound redshirt freshman emphasized that he decided to return to UNC after realizing how much he missed the team.
He refuted rumors stating he came back after South Carolina, the school to which his father said he wanted to transfer in a report last week, would not offer him a scholarship.
"If I really wanted to go to South Carolina, whether they offered me (a scholarship) or not, I could've easily walked on," said Durant, who wore No. 4, his high school number, Wednesday.
Durant said many of his teammates approached him since his announcement to say they wished he were around.
Eventually, the cumulative effect of their remarks sparked his desire to return.
"Little comments like that coming from guys I'm really close to really hit me and made me decide this really is the place for me," Durant said.
After Durant told UNC coach John Bunting that he wanted to come back, Bunting called for a players-only meeting. Durant said he told a group of team leaders at the meeting that he had "made a mistake" and that he wished to return.
"We just wanted to know he was completely committed to being here, completely committed to work, to do everything we were going to do and step up and be a leader," said tight end Zach Hilton.
