Kevin Durant slammed Stephen A. Smith during an interview with The Athletic published on Sunday night, labeling the ESPN pundit a "clown." Smith has been critical of Durant over the years, but recent comments about his abilities as a leader have particularly irked the Suns star.
“Yeah, Stephen A., I don’t understand how people even listen to Stephen A.,” he told the outlet. “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 s— about players. … He’s a clown to me. He’s always been a clown. You can write that, too.”
Kevin Durant During The Suns' Win Over The Trail Blazers
Addressing the criticism of his leadership specifically, Durant added: “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,” Durant said. “Like, come on, man. It’s just ridiculous.” Former Suns assistant coach Kevin Young as well as the team's current head coach, Mike Budenholzer, both defended Durant's leadership to the outlet. “He set the tone for us as an organization, for us as a team. And it’s not just been by leadership. It’s been his voice," Budenholzer said. "He’s put his arms around young players, he’s put his arm around veterans. He’s put his arm around me. It’s something that’s important to us. I don’t know if he likes it or knows it, but I’m going to keep pushing him to be his best, in all ways, including as a leader.”
The interview comes as the Suns improved to 5-1 with a win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night. Durant posted 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists in that game. The team's next contest will be against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. Be on the lookout for further updates on Kevin Durant and Stephen A. Smith on HotNewHipHop.