USA Today via Reuters
Feb 13, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) stands next to head coach Steve Nash after exiting a game against the Golden State Warriors in the third quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Feb 13, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) stands next to head coach Steve Nash after exiting a game against the Golden State Warriors in the third quarter at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Durant is not the most easy-going superstar in the NBA. Durant has had a history of being sensitive about what is said about him online. After all, he felt the need to create an anonymous Twitter account to respond to people hating on him. But now he does it on his main account, which created a situation.
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Actor and NBA reporter Michael Rappaport tweeted against Durant after a post-game interview, which prompted Durant to go on a tirade on Instagram DMs. Rappaport shared the DMs on Twitter in a bid to attract sympathy. However, that is backfiring, as Rappaport was criticized by Kenyon Martin.
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“Out of respect for Rappaport, we used to have a basketball show together. Me and Mike are cool, we have a great rapport. But I lost a lot of respect for him in this regard. You do it to everybody, say shit to people, and people respond to a certain degree.”
Martin added, “He says these things about people and somebody responds, who’s a bigger name and celebrity than you are, you have a problem with it. You say things to push people’s buttons and when he didn’t respond the way you thought he would respond, he was going to slap the shit out of you when he sees you. You see it as a threat. It don’t work like that, Mike. You can’t say shit to people and think people are not gonna have something to say.”
Kevin Durant: How will this affect his perception in the media?
USA Today via Reuters
Apr 7, 2021; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) drives to the basket in the second quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Durant evidently cares about what people think of him. But outside a fine and some light words from certain sections of social media, Durant seems to be pretty unscathed. However, Rappaport has been dragged across the media for what he did. From leaking the DMs to going on a press tour, Rappaport’s intentions have been questioned by many.
READ MORE: Kevin Durant Continues His Banter With Fans Amid Time Off from NBA
This isn’t like Kyrie Irving’s situation with the media earlier this year. While KD was wrong for saying wildly inappropriate things and lashing out the way he did, media vitriol is aimed at Rappaport for breaking convention and sharing a private conversation. It seems his name and association as a basketball reporter may be affected.
