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Kevin Durant and the Times When He Lost His Cool on Celebrities Like Drake, Rihanna, and Others

Published 04/02/2021, 1:30 AM EDT

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Kevin Durant is a crowd favorite for reasons that go way beyond the dimensions of a basketball court. He has acted in movies, joined famous talk shows, and launched his signature shoe line. However, there is one more thing that has kept him in the headlines time and again – his feuds with celebrities.

KD, over the past few years, has built a rapport that he will always come back if a celeb provokes him. So yes, the almost unguardable player on court has his pain points that one must stay away from pricking. Here is the list of celebs that did against the advice and faced KD’s wrath.

# Kevin Durant and Drake

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Remember that frosty November night when Toronto Raptors held Drake Night to honor their global ambassador? The star rapper was present on the courtside when the Warriors spoiled the night for the Raptors with a 127-121 win. Kevin Durant scored 30 points in that game, but something else became more memorable. 

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Once the Raptors took a Q1 lead, Drake tried to provoke KD from the side court. The Slim Reaper took notice of that and responded after the game. When KD was delivering his on-court interview, Drake came from behind and bumped into Durant. The star forward then gave a big angry stare and said, “I don’t give a damn about no Drake Night.”

# Durantula and Rihanna

Game 1 of NBA Finals 2017 was a bitter-sweet outing for the Warriors’ forward. In the front row, it was the singing sensation, Rihanna, rooting for LeBron James at her voice box’s loudest.

RiRi is a long-time Bron fan, and she ensured her audible support for the Cavaliers’ leader that night. 

At one point, when KD shot a free throw, the celebrated singer yelled, “BRICK” and maddened the 6’10” star. It worked like a catalyst for Kevin, who then dropped 38 points and ensured an easy 113-91 victory. In that game, after every shot, the man of the hour ensured he gave a glaring stare to Rihanna and make his statement clear.

# KD and Charles Barkley

On December 22, 2020, Kevin Durant finally made his much-awaited comeback after the 2019 NBA Finals Achilles injury. He was facing his former team in the Warriors and yet dropped 22 points, showing no sign of post-injury rust. Just as the Nets won 125-99, Durant picked the mic for a post-game interview.

When TNT analyst Charles Barkley asked him a long question regarding his timing and conditioning, all KD had in response was a “Yeah!” and that’s it. Although Charles squeezed some fun out of the response, it was a clear sign of disengagement from KD.

# Kevin Durant and Michael Rapaport

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Finally, the latest feud on this coveted list, the one with a popular actor. Just as 51-YO Michael Rapaport released his personal messages with KD for the public to see, a new and rather nasty controversy emerged.

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Some saw KD’s messages as crossing the line, while others supported him for taking a stand and reacting candidly. While the internet seemed divided on right and wrong, KD published his apology to his fans, saying that he must not have used certain words.

Which of these feuds would you want to continue, and why? Help us know in the comments.

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Written by:

Sourabh Singh

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Sourabh Singh is an NBA sports analyst for EssentiallySports, who has been working with the site since May 2020. Prior to this, he functioned as Managing Editor at WittyFeed, followed by a stint at Decathlon. The Sports Management graduate leads an active lifestyle, veering to the mountains for off-trail adventures.
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