Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant’s new, edgier side has made waves this season. But KD doesn’t want people to think he’s completely moved over to the Dark Side.
Durant regrets saying the media “don’t know sh*t”, and says his salty words were due to frustration.
The 26-year old reigning NBA MVP also addressed the infamous James Harden trade by OKC, and what impact (if any) it will have on his own impending free agency.
Per The Oklahoman:
A story in GQ created some buzz, specifically the quote about your players not being as good in the past. What specifically did you mean? […] “I think my words were misinterpreted a little bit. I read that this morning and felt bad, but I was just talking in terms of how the public views our team, how everybody views us. Everybody talks about the James Harden trade to this day. Everybody else is asking about a player that’s a 3-time All-Star, leading scorer in the league, so we can’t do nothing about that. I never wanted to slight my teammates like I did, but just from the outside looking in, that’s how people view us. That we got worse. But we can’t control that. That’s what really I was trying to say, so I’m sorry if my words got misinterpreted, but I never want to slight my teammates.”
Do you resent the organization for trading James Harden? […] “Do I resent the organization? Nah. Hell nah. Let’s look at it this way. We won 60 games the year he was gone, we won 59 the next year. Had a few injuries, never know what would have happened. So not at all. Plus they signed me to a max deal (smiles).”
We’ve sort of gotten to know you a certain way the first six, seven years and this year you’ve been edgier, you’ve been more outspoken. How do you explain that shift? […] “Let’s be real. Let’s look at the whole thing. I’ve been in the league eight years. The media and myself have had a great relationship for eight years. I said something. Two days in a row I said something. Am I allowed to be upset one time? Am I allowed to be mad? Am I human? Do you look at me that way? I can’t say nothing wrong? We had great communication for eight years and it’s still that way. But I had a moment. Everybody in life has one. You had one for sure before but it’s not broadcasted like mine. I was more so trying to take up for my teammates, my coach and every guy in the league that gets scrutinized and I don’t like. Maybe I shouldn’t say nothing about it. I had my moment. More than anything I was told I bite the hand that feeds me. I don’t know what that means. I really don’t know what that means. I wish someone would explain it to me. But I don’t remember none of you guys being there when I was eight years old and putting in that work, the nights when I’m in here putting in that work. So I don’t really understand what that means. But, hey, I gotta roll with it. That’s a part of it. I shouldn’t cry cause everybody been through it.”
Is it tough in any way to be, like, a megastar in the social media age? A lot of stars haven’t gone through this type of thing. […] “Yeah, we’re in a different age. Like I said, I’ve heard a lot of stuff the last few days about the Michael Jordans and the other guys. But they didn’t have to go through social media. It wasn’t right there for them. So it’s a different age. It’s a different era, a different time in our society. It is what it is, man. Like I said, we had a great relationship and I had a moment there. I’m not saying it’ll be my last one. But I’ll try to work on just being honest with you guys but at the same time being more respectable. I made a mistake.”
