Durant: Comments about media were a mistake
Kevin Durant has offered an apology of sorts for his comments regarding the media over the weekend. Chalk it up to being human.
"I had a moment," Durant said, as reported by Royce Young of ESPN. What followed was a pretty candid explanation of his All-Star Weekend remarks, which included observations at a media session such as "I'm only here talking to y'all because I have to," and "Y'all not my friends."
Durant said:
Everybody in life has moments. 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 other guys in the league that gets scrutinized and I don't like ... What made (me) more mad 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 in. So I don't really understand what that one means. But, hey, I gotta roll with it. That's a part of it. I was told I shouldn't cry cause everybody been through it. So I'm going to shut up ... I'll try to work on just being honest with you guys but at the same time being more respectable. I made a mistake.
Unsurprisingly, there's been plenty of hand-wringing and navel-gazing since Durant's initial remarks, and the subsequent narrative that Oklahoma City Thunder superstar is ditching his nice-guy image. This also coincides with a GQ interview published Wednesday in which Durant talks freely about his loyalty to the Thunder and - among other things - his personal life.
Oklahoma City is 28-25 heading into the stretch, a half game behind the current No. 8 seed Phoenix Suns. Virtually all NBA observers have assumed since Durant and Russell Westbrook returned from respective injuries the Thunder had the best chance to fill out the top eight in the Western Conference.
However, they've had challenges - be it losing winnable games against teams like the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings, to increasing criticism of head coach Scott Brooks - one of only two NBA coaches Durant has had. Durant and the Thunder franchise hasn't missed the playoffs since his second year as a pro.