Kevin Durant: ‘I’m not a leader? What the f**k does that mean?’

But when leaders are mentioned in the NBA, his name is never brought up. “I’m not a leader? What the f-k does that mean?” Durant asked B/R. “A lot of people say I’m not a leader because I didn’t tell Kyrie to get vaccinated. Come on. Or I didn’t …

But when leaders are mentioned in the NBA, his name is never brought up. “I’m not a leader? What the f–k does that mean?” Durant asked B/R. “A lot of people say I’m not a leader because I didn’t tell Kyrie to get vaccinated. Come on. Or I didn’t condemn Kyrie for leaving the team, going out and living his life. I’m not about to tell a grown-ass man what he can and can’t do with his own life and dissect his views or how he thinks about s–t.

Source: Chris Haynes @ Bleacher Report

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Trey Kerby @treykerby
Two different KD interviews and a Ben Simmons interview all in one day. When does the Royce O’Neale piece drop? – 12:22 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
KD speaking after last night’s loss on what Nets have shown:
“It’s been fun, regardless of games like tonight.”
Via @Chris Haynes. pic.twitter.com/hZCVqeOn7x12:21 PM

Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
In exclusive interview with @BleacherReport and after suffering 32-point blowout to Kings, Kevin Durant reveals details of trade request along with all things Nets are going through: “I went to them and was like, ‘Yo, I don’t like how we are preparing.’ bleacherreport.com/articles/10055…12:12 PM
Trey Kerby @treykerby
Need a Kevin Durant Coolest Things to Buy During the Holidays list.
https://t.co/czaz2a9Fyv pic.twitter.com/2W2uN5pnRv12:10 PM

Erik Slater @erikslater_
KD on Nets fans via @Marc J. Spears:
“The energy around basketball in NYC, [the] Brooklyn area specifically, they’ve been rallying around who I am as a player. They have been rallying around our team regardless of what we got going on, and they appreciate what I bring.” – 11:52 AM
Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Nets star Kevin Durant discusses teammates Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, why he backed off trade request and his happiness. @andscape bit.ly/3hLJLbo11:05 AM
Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
Kevin Durant: “They made shots. That’s demoralizing when you see teams making shots. It’s not like we didn’t try. It just felt like they were just on the offensive side of the ball… I wouldn’t say it was a lack of effort or guys didn’t care.” pic.twitter.com/1WhZH6Z4pH9:24 AM

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
Terrific visit with @CoachKevinOllie of @OvertimeElite on The Woj Pod: On his program’s rapid rise as an NBA feeder, UConn national title and exit, his OKC Thunder years with Durant/Westbrook/Harden, much more.
ESPN: tinyurl.com/2tdjnp8p
Apple: tinyurl.com/52yu49zs9:13 AM
StatMuse @statmuse
Most 25-point games this season:
15 — Durant
13 — Tatum
11 — Luka
10 — Mitchell, Shai, Steph pic.twitter.com/Sf6mCDHQSI8:27 AM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
KD on Mike Brown: “It was a great choice by Mike to choose the Sacramento Kings and it was great by Sacramento to give Mike a chance. He’s been a part of championship groups the last six, seven years. Just a perfect pairing I think.” – 1:24 AM
Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
KD: “They made shots. That’s demoralizing, when you see teams making shots. It’s not like we didn’t try. It just felt like they were just on the offensive side of the ball … I wouldn’t say it was a lack of effort or guys didn’t care, it was just that they were just better.” – 1:16 AM
Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
Important note from tonight’s game
Domantas Sabonis +44
Kevin Huerter +40
Terrence Davis +35
Harrison Barnes +33
De’Aaron Fox +26
Royce O’Neale -40
Joe Harris -37
Kevin Durant -31
Nic Claxton -30
The Kings outplayed the Nets. #SacramentoProud #BeamTeam12:25 AM
Chris Palmer @ChrisPalmerNBA
Kevin Durant wasted 4 prime years in Brooklyn. – 12:00 AM
Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Getting absolutely housed by the Kings seems like it should be a(nother) watershed moment for Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. – 11:59 PM
Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
Time to pull KD. Nothing else at this point – 11:50 PM
Tom Ziller @teamziller
Why is Kevin Durant still in the game? – 11:47 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
Okpala blocks KD. Huerter hits another triple. 109-70. – 11:44 PM
Tom Ziller @teamziller
LMAO Red Velvet picks KD clean, transition assist to put the Kings up 35. This team is full of pleasant surprises. – 11:42 PM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Tonight was the 2nd time in 4 days that a teammate of a 30-point scorer entered the 4th quarter with no 3s made — and made 4 3s in the final quarter vs Clippers.
– Sat.: Durant’s teammate Seth Curry
– Tonight: Doncic’s teammate Reggie Bullock
Rotation, rotation, rotation. – 11:16 PM
Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
Notes from Kings 1st half against the Nets
*Since the game tied at 40, they had a 33-14 run. Energy at a high level
*Terrence Davis changed the momentum
*Domantas Sabonis dominated over Nic Claxton
*Kevin Durant seems all alone on Nets offense.
#SacramentoProud #BeamTeam11:10 PM
Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
Halftime. Nets 54, Kings 73
Kevin Huerter 14pts, 5-7FG
Harrison Barnes 13pts, 4rebs
Domantas Sabonis 12pts, 3rebs
Terrence Davis 10pts, 4-5 FG, 5rebs, 3stls
De’Aaron Fox 8pts, 4asts
Kevin Durant 18pts, 5-9FG, 4asts
The Kings set the pace of the game. #SacramentoProud #BeamTeam11:07 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Tough stretch. Ben Simmons looks good but it’s still difficult for the Nets to generate offense with KD on the bench and Kyrie Irving serving his suspension. Simmons is making a concerted effort to get to the rack, but it’s not all the way there yet. Nets searching for offense. – 10:47 PM
Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
End of 1st Q: Nets 30, Kings 36
Kevin Huerter 8 pts, 3-5FG
De’Aaron Fox 8prs, 3asts
Harrison Barnes 7pts, 4rebs
Domantas Sabonis 6pts, 2asts
Kevin Durant 12pts, 4-6FG, 4asts
#sacramentokings10:31 PM
James Ham @James_HamNBA
De’Aaron Fox drills a triple at the buzzer. Kings up 36-30 after 1Q. Fox and Huerter have 8 points each. 12 for Durant. – 10:31 PM
Bill Herenda @billherenda
. @TimCapstraw has compared Kevin Durant to a QB reading different coverages as Durant faces so many different defensive looks Seeing that in Sacramento as well as every night @Brooklyn Nets @Sacramento Kings @BKNetsRadio @ChrisCarrino @WFAN660 #NBA – 10:29 PM
Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
Kings defense at a very high level.
Kevin Durant: 3 of 3 from the field
Rest of the Nets starting line up: 1 of 6
The progression on the defensive end is clear. #SacramentoProud10:12 PM
Matt George @MattGeorgeSAC
19-9 Kings start. Ball movement is good and the offensive attack is balanced. Kings are throwing double teams at Kevin Durant immediately. – 10:11 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Sumner, Harris, Durant, O’Neale and Claxton start for the #Nets. Simmons has come off the bench in his last four appearances (missing Sunday’s loss at the #Lakers). – 9:34 PM
Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Nets star Kevin Durant wraps up his pregame warmup for tonight’s game against the Kings. pic.twitter.com/9ra1CsGVdy9:05 PM

BasketNews @BasketNews_com
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry ⛔️
Team USA under Steve Kerr will try to reclaim the top at the 2023 World Cup with a new lineup. Who’s most likely to join in?
basketnews.com/news-180927-a-…5:44 PM
Austin Burton @Amaar_206
NBA League Pass Game of the Day: Clippers at Mavericks
LA’s defense has been tested in its last four games by the explosive scoring talents of Donovan Mitchell (W), LeBron (W), Durant (L), and Jalen Green (W). Now comes Luka Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer and MVP frontrunner. pic.twitter.com/c2WMT6iXvo5:19 PM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
One month into the NBA season, a look at how Luka Doncic’s MVP start compares to Giannis, Embiid, Jokic and Durant:
(Spoiler: v well) dallasnews.com/sports/maveric…3:39 PM
Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Thunder had 18 All Star selections from 2010-2020.
Westbrook: 8x
KD: 7x
George: 2x
CP3: 1x
If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes it this year, OKC would have an All Star in year 3 of a rebuild.
After only a 2 year All Star drought.
OKC has had an embarrassment of All Star riches. – 2:28 PM
Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbar
Thunder had 18 All Star selections from 2010-2020.
Westbrook: 8x
KD: 7x
George: 2x
CP3: 1x
If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes it this year, OKC would have an All Star in year 3 of a rebuild.
After only a 2 year All Star drought.
OKC has been spoiled with All Star player riches. – 2:14 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Players averaging 30/5/5 on 50 FG% this season:
— Giannis
— Steph
— Durant
Start. Bench. Cut. pic.twitter.com/zXSdE0KcRK1:44 PM

More on this storyline

“Look at our starting lineup. Edmond Sumner, Royce O’Neale, Joe Harris, [Nic] Claxton and me. It’s not disrespect, but what are you expecting from that group? Durant asked of B/R. “You expect us to win because I’m out there. So if you’re watching from that lens, you’re expecting us to play well because No. 7 is out there. “I’m really having a good time. I wish y’all could hear me talk during the game. If I got mic’d up more, people would stop asking me if I’m happy or not. I’m enjoying every moment I get to step on this f–king court, and part of it is because I tore my Achilles. And the pandemic, I didn’t know if we were going to play again. I didn’t know if I was going to play again. -via Bleacher Report / November 16, 2022
To gauge what could happen in the future, it’s important to know why certain things occurred in the past. “It wasn’t difficult at all to request a trade because it was about ball,” Durant told B/R. “I went to them and was like, ‘Yo, I don’t like how we are preparing. I don’t like shootarounds. I like practices. I need more. I want to work on more s–t. Hold me accountable. Get on my ass in film if that’s going to help you get on everybody else’s head. I want to do more closeouts. I want to work on more shell drills at practice.’ -via Bleacher Report / November 16, 2022
“This was the type of s–t I was coming at them with. It wasn’t like, ‘Yo, y’all need to make sure everybody around me can make my life easier.’ Hell nah, I want to make everybody else’s life easier. Ask Steve Nash, you can go call him right now. I would say, ‘Yo, I need more closeout drills. We need to practice more.’ That’s what I was on. -via Bleacher Report / November 16, 2022