Kevin Durant takes aim at media
Kevin Durant didn't mince words when talking to the media about the media Saturday in New York at All-Star Weekend.
"You guys really don't know s---," Durant told reporters.
Durant's striking statement came in response to a question about continued speculation about Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks' job security. Brooks has often fallen under media criticism the past few seasons, but Durant has always been quick to defend his coach, noting during his MVP speech that Brooks doesn't get any credit, "even though you deserve all of it."
Durant was later asked what kinds of questions he'd prefer the media to focus on.
"To be honest, man, I'm only here talking to y'all because I have to," Durant said. "So I really don't care. Y'all not my friends. You're going to write what you want to write. You're going to love us one day and hate us the next. That's a part of it. So I just learn how to deal with y'all."
Durant's public persona has always been one of politeness and mild-mannered humility, with focus on politically correct answers, but the 26-year-old reigning MVP has become increasingly outspoken this season. Possibly it's related to the frustrating string of injuries that have followed around the Thunder this season (Durant has missed 26 games himself), but he says it's just that he's older and more comfortable expressing himself.
"My first few years in the league, I was just finding myself," Durant said Friday. "I think most of the time, I reacted based off of what everybody else wanted and how they viewed me as a person. I am just learning to be myself, not worrying about what everybody else says, I am going to make mistakes. I just want to show kids out here that athletes, entertainers, whoever, so-called celebrities, we aren't robots. We go through emotions and go through feelings and I am just trying to express mine and try to help people along the way. I am not going to sit here and tell you that I am just this guy that is programmed to say the right stuff all the time and politically correct answers. I am done with that. I am just trying to be me and continue to grow as a man."
On Friday, Durant also sounded off, saying he didn't think the media should vote for awards, instead favoring players to do it.
"Yeah, I think media and guys get too much power to vote on stuff that; quite frankly I don't think you really know a lot about [or] as much as we know about it," Durant said. "So, yeah, we play against these guys every single night. We battle against these guys. We know what they say on the court. We know how they handle their teammates. We know how they approach the game and our vote should count. Our opinions should count. Like I said, I don't think you guys know as much as we do, and I don't see why you have more power than we do."
