Before the Thursday night matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks, an incident involving Kevin Durant and a Mavericks fan occurred. As Durant and his teammates were heading out to warm up for the game, Durant heard a woman from one of the front rows yell a derogatory term at him. Reacting to this, Durant approached the woman and her partner, engaging in a confrontation with them.
Video footage of the incident clearly captured them yelling ‘b***h’ at the Suns’ star as he made his way onto the court. In response, Durant swiftly turned around to confront the man and woman, both of whom were holding beers, and questioned them with a terse ‘what?’.
Subsequently, Durant approached the couple, and despite the female fan wearing a broad smile and extending her hand as if nothing had occurred, Durant showed visible displeasure and refused to acknowledge her gesture. While the exact words exchanged between Durant and the couple are indiscernible, Durant’s refusal to shake hands and his evident frustration with their remarks were apparent. The man, also wearing a smile, quickly realized Durant’s annoyance and attempted to apologize in an effort to defuse the situation.
It became evident that the couple, caught off guard by Durant’s reaction to their taunts, sought to downplay their actions and diverted the conversation by sharing a story about a deceased relative and the man’s sports podcast. However, Durant, clearly unimpressed, swiftly ended the interaction and returned to his teammates, who were warming up.
Security personnel seemed inclined to eject the couple from the American Airlines Center, presumably due to their behavior. However, Durant intervened and instructed security to allow them to remain in the arena. Despite Durant’s attempt to diffuse the situation, it was an unfortunate evening overall for him, as the Mavericks secured a 123-113 victory.
Kevin Durant responds to Charles Barkley’s criticism
Following the NBA All-Star Game disappointment, a fresh narrative emerged as Hall of Famer Charles Barkley redirected his critical gaze toward Kevin Durant. During the TruTV alternative broadcast, Barkley openly criticized Durant, branding him as a “follower” and casting doubts about his leadership qualities.
Kevin Durant (Image via CNN)However, Durant’s response was not confrontational but introspective. In an interview with Boardroom, a platform he co-owns, Durant provided insight into his viewpoint, offering a nuanced understanding of leadership that extends beyond public scrutiny.
Durant said:
I don’t feel like I want people to call me a leader. But I also don’t want people to say I’m not one either because they don’t see what goes on behind the scenes. I’m not as charismatic as my peers. I don’t feel like I need people to call me a leader, but I also don’t feel like I want people to say I’m not one.
Charles Barkley on the Suns leader: “I really wanted it to be KD but he’s not doing it. To me it’s gotta be Booker…No disrespect to Kevin. Kevin’s a follower. He’s not a leader. He’s proven that on all of his stops…” pic.twitter.com/kVcJd0J7Rd
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 19, 2024
This season, Kevin Durant is averaging 28.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game for the Phoenix Suns.
