Medal table | Olympic calendar | How to watch | Olympic news
Warning: This article contains graphic language.
There are no NBA players like Kevin Durant, and not just because of his generational scoring. Instead, it’s his commitment to the online battlefield that makes him unique.
Roughly six hours after Durant and Team USA needed a 17-point comeback to survive against Serbia in the Paris Olympics semifinals, the Phoenix Suns star was on the X. He had a pointed question for a Denver Nuggets personality who was celebrating Serbia’s performance (and Nuggets star Nikola Jokić).
It should be noted that Durant’s target did not mention Durant at all. Durant simply found it.
Durant appeared to object to Nuggets fans rooting for Serbia and Jokić rather than their own country’s team, which features several of his own team’s rivals. He clarified his thoughts in a subsequent tweet at 11:40 a.m. Paris time:
To all you Nuggets fans, no one gives a shit who you believe is the best player in the league, the players have great respect for Jok, we don’t worship him like you do, but most are in awe of his brilliance. Trolling you idiots for rooting against us is part of the game.… https://t.co/JVwxSi0eJD
-Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) August 9, 2024
We can only wonder when Durant actually slept that night, given that the U.S. team did not return to the team hotel by 1 a.m. local time. Obviously, Durant engaging with fans and other voices isn’t exactly new, but the fact that that’s what he’s doing the night after his most nerve-wracking win of the tournament is what makes him a special talent, post-wise.
Durant scored nine points on 4-of-8 shooting and three rebounds in the Americans’ 95-91 victory. His former Golden State Warriors teammate Stephen Curry was the one who led the team to a comeback victory with 36 points.
The US team advanced to the final, where they will face France. Given the way the Olympic host’s fans cheered during the Games, Durant had better be prepared for maximum hostility at Bercy Arena.