Kevin Durant went off on Stephen A. Smith following his criticism as the NBA superstar called the media personality a 'clown' in a brutal putdown.
Durant has delivered outstanding performances this season as the Phoenix Suns enjoy an impressive campaign in the Western Conference league.
Naturally, his showings on the court have garnered attention from fans and critics alike, including Smith, who's known for his outlandish takes.
Smith has previously critiqued Durant's leadership style and while he hasn't directly commented on him in recent days, the Suns star feels the ESPN pundit's remarks on other players in the NBA are often too critical.
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"I don’t understand how people even listen to Stephen A.," he told 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.
"I’ve never seen him anywhere but on TV talking sh*t about players."
When pressed on Smith's punditry, Durant pulled no punches, saying: "He’s a clown to me. He’s always been a clown. You can write that, too."
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He added: "I’ve always been on this trajectory, of diving deep into the game, not just for myself but for the whole team.
"To say that I’m just sitting here, you paint this picture of me coming into the locker room, not talking to my teammates, quiet, not talking to my coaches.
"Like, come on, man. It’s just ridiculous."
With averages of 27.3 points, seven rebounds and 4.4 assists while boasting percentages of 50.1 from the field and 88.4 from the free-throw line over 17 NBA season, Durant is widely regarded as one of the league's best-ever players.
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And he's producing the goods this season, with the Suns winning five of their six games - only behind the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference standings.
Topics: Stephen A Smith, NBA, Basketball
Nasir Jabbar