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Kevin Durant has logged back on.
Durant went back and forth with fans Monday over their differences in their preferred styles of basketball:
In a since-deleted post, Durant referred to some fans as “lames.”
Fans have spent the early part of the Olympic process comparing and contrasting the FIBA and NBA styles, with opinions being split across the board. FIBA basketball tends to be a slower, more team-oriented style, whereas the NBA’s uptempo style spotlights individual brilliance.
Durant is a superstar in all realms, becoming one of the greatest players in NBA history and arguably the single best player in Olympic history. If the United States wins gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Durant will be the first men’s basketball player with four gold medals. He is already tied with Carmelo Anthony for the most all-time with three golds.
It’s interesting that Durant’s terse back-and-forth with fans came a day after he scored 23 points in a brilliant scoring display in the United States’ 110-84 win over Serbia. Some fans who came out on the FIBA side of the stylistic argument actually highlighted Durant’s play on the international stage to boost their argument.
It appears Durant does not agree.
That said, Team USA will continue reaping the rewards of his ability to adapt to any style.