Source: Stacy Revere / Getty
If there’s one NBA player who has no issue responding to fans and trolls, it’s Kevin Durant.
He’s clapped back at Twitter users and even admitted to having a burner account, so it’s not totally surprising that he’s just as reactive in real life.
His patience got tested once again when his Phoenix Suns were taking on the Dallas Mavericks Thursday night when he was jogging out of the tunnel and onto the court ahead of the game, and a fan can be heard calling him a b-tch.
Durant stops in his tracks to approach the fans, and it appears to be a man and woman donning Mavericks gear. Their exchange is inaudible, because of the loud arena and music. The entire moment was caught on camera by anchor Jonah Javad, who revealed that security was ready to kick them out until Durant approached them and asked them not to.
After the game, Durant spoke to AZCentral‘s Duane Rankin about the moment and urged fans to humanize NBA players a bit more when hurling insults their way.
“I get it,” Durant said. “I know the people want to pet the animals in the zoo, get close to the animals in the zoo, but once they get close, they realize you’re real human beings, too. So you should treat us like that. I could’ve had them kicked out. Nah, don’t put that on me. They just called me a b-tch. They didn’t harm me. They didn’t try to harm me, physically. Let them stay and give them something to think about going forward.”
As the video suggested, the fan tried to downplay the moment after Durant approached her, and he ultimately didn’t have them escorted out of the arena because they did spend their money to buy tickets and blames the liquor.
“I know you don’t mean that and I’m not going to get you kicked out because you paid your money for these tickets, you had a couple of drinks and I understand how people get, but it’s better ways to try to get my attention and talk to me other than call me a b-tch out my name because you’re protected in these arenas.”
See how social media is reacting to the confrontation below.
