PHOENIX — ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith on Monday cracked back at Kevin Durant for calling him a “clown” and questioning whether Smith was around the Phoenix Suns enough to criticize the star forward’s leadership.
During a four-minute segment on the ESPN show “First Take,” Smith defended his credentials and questioned Durant’s sensitivity and maturity.
“Respectfully,” Smith said, “Kevin Durant is going to have to answer this: Who’s allowed to talk about him?” Smith said.
After Saturday night’s win over Portland, Durant told The Athletic that he doesn’t understand why people listen to Smith. “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.”
Among the top voices in NBA media, Smith on Monday pointed out that he had worked for years in the industry, including time spent as a beat writer and columnist at The Philadelphia Inquirer. He said he also regularly attends NBA games.
“Kevin Durant has seen me in the locker room when he was at Oklahoma City,” Smith said. “He has seen me in the locker room when he was at Golden State. He has certainly seen me at games throughout his career. But, unfortunately for him, I don’t have to be at shoot-around. And I don’t have to be in the postgame locker room. I happen to have a hit show that’s been No. 1 for 12 years. I have other things to do with my time.”
Durant did not talk to news reporters at Phoenix’s shoot-around Monday. At age 36, the 14-time All-Star is off to a strong start, which is not uncommon. In an Oct. 26 win over the Dallas Mavericks, he became the eighth player in league history to amass 29,000 career points. Off to a 5-1 start, the Suns host the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night in Phoenix.
Sports stars and media members have feuded for decades. Long before all-sports networks and social media, Boston Red Sox star Ted Williams sparred with Boston newspaper columnist Dave Egan, a beef that stretched for years. More recently, the University of Colorado banned Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler from asking questions at football news conferences because of what the school considered sustained, personal attacks on head coach Deion Sanders.
Smith has upset NBA stars before. Last season, on a “First Take” episode that debated whether Boston’s Jaylen Brown was underrated, Smith read a text message from an NBA source that questioned Brown’s attitude. Brown responded on “X,” writing, “State your source.” Last month, Brown appeared on “The Stephen A. Smith Show” and said Smith’s decision to read the text on television never gave him a chance to respond or defend himself.
The Smith-Durant back-and-forth began Oct. 24, when Smith was asked on “First Take” whether he believed in the Suns as a serious contender. Smith mentioned how much he respected Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, but ultimately said he couldn’t endorse the Suns because he didn’t trust Durant’s ability to lead or inspire teammates. Durant was often praised as a leader during his nine seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but lately, it’s been an ongoing discussion point, one Durant does not appreciate.
He initially responded to Smith’s comments on X, saying he respectfully disagreed. “I would argue, passionately, that my intangibles have always been on par with my talent,” Durant posted. After Saturday’s win over Portland, he defended his leadership and criticized Smith more pointedly.
Smith on Monday called Durant one of the great players in basketball history and said he was a “very, very good dude.” He recalled how Durant had asked him in the past to appear as a guest on “Boardroom,” a sports, media and entertainment brand Durant co-founded with long-time agent Rich Kleiman. He also said the superstar has a habit of going after anyone who criticizes his game, whether it’s media, players or fans.
“I will not disrespect him the way that he disrespects me,” Smith said. “It’s unfortunate that no matter how old he gets, his sensitivity seems to heighten with it and his maturity doesn’t. But that’s something he has to live with.”
(Top photo of Stephen A. Smith at the 2024 NBA Draft: Kostas Lymperopoulos / NBAE via Getty Images)
