NBA superstar Kevin Durant took aim at ESPN host Stephen A. Smith, calling the “First Take” leader a “clown” for questioning his leadership qualities.
Following his Phoenix Suns’ defeat of the Portland Trail Blazers, Durant made it clear that he loathes Smith for continuously questioning “the way he leads” his teams in the NBA.
Kevin Durant goes after Stephen A. Smith
“Yeah, Stephen A., I don’t understand how people even listen to Stephen A.,” KD said on Nov. 3, according to The Athletic. “I’ve been in the league for 18 years. I’ve never seen Stephen A. at a practice, or a film session, or a shoot-around.”
Durant continued: “I’ve never seen him anywhere but on TV talking s— about players. He’s a clown to me. He’s always been a clown. You can write that, too.”
Durant was responding to Smith’s earlier weekend comments.
“I don’t question the greatness nor commitment of Kevin Durant,” Smith said. “When you are that great…you should be able to be a better leader than he has shown. He’s been relatively leaderless. He’s been very lacking in inspiration in terms of peeling out from those around him… Durant gon’ ball out, but does he get the others around him to do it?”
Stephen A. Smith fires back at Kevin Durant
“I got bad news for Kevin Durant: If you’re expecting me to reciprocate with that kind of pettiness and childishness, it’s not gonna happen,” Smith said. “Kevin Durant is one of the greatest players to have ever played this game. He’s a future Hall of Famer. He’s a two-time champion and two time Finals MVP and I’ve been on the record saying he’s also a good dude. So if he wants to resort to that level, even though we’re both grown men and if he had something to say, he knows my number and he refrains from doing so that’s what he has to live with.
“Respectfully, Kevin Durant, could you stop lying, please? I’ve been an NBA reporter and I was a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer,” Smith continued. “Kevin Durant has seen me in the locker room when he was at Oklahoma City. He has seen me in the locker room when he was at Golden State. He has certainly seen me at games throughout his career. But unfortunately for him, I don’t have to be at shootaround and I don’t have to be in the postgame locker room. I happen to have a hit show that’s been No. 1 for 12 years. I have other things to do with my time. I go to games all the time. I’m not a beat writer anymore. So let’s get that out the way.”
Smith concluded by taking a subtle swipe at Durant: “I sincerely wish that he doesn’t get swept again in the playoffs, like he has two of the last three years.”
