“Kevin Durant, You Don’t Want to Make an Enemy Out of Me!”: 9 Months Before $54,274,505 Warriors Move, Stephen A. Smith Issued Warning to 6ft 10″ Star

In 2015, Stephen A. Smith of First Take found himself in an unlikely situation. In the midst of the 2015-2016 NBA season, Stephen A. was beefing with then-Oklahoma City Thunder star, Kevin Durant. Their feud started after the former made some comments about the Slim Reaper’s future in the league. Comments that infuriated KD, nine months before his $54,274,505 move to the Golden State Warriors, and started the whole fiasco.

As is his job, Stephen A. kicked off this whole problem by giving his two cents about Durant’s future. He stated, “Regardless of how senseless it may (sound), in one breath I’m hearing that if Kevin Durant doesn’t stay in Oklahoma City, L.A. is his primary objective and landing spot as opposed to South Beach or even his home of Washington, D.C.”.

It was a simple statement, one that just speculates about his future in the league. Nevertheless, it was enough to lead to a major escalation.

Stephen A. Smith warned Kevin Durant in 2015 after the latter clapped back at him

Kevin Durant has made a name for himself as a Twitter troll in recent years. The Phoenix Suns star relishes the opportunity to take on his discreditors on the social media platform. And, back in 2015, this was no different, with his target at the time being none other than Stephen A. Smith.

Unhappy with Smith’s comments about his future with the OKC Thunder, Durant clapped back at the ESPN analyst with a curt Tweet. He called out Stephen A., claiming he does not know what he’s talking about after the latter reported that the Lakers were his preferred destination in free agency.

He stated that the First Take host didn’t know anybody among his family or friends and that he was lying. This, as expected, did not sit well with Stephen A., prompting a response on the October 15, 2015 episode of First Take, Here, he defended himself and his report, before warning KD and his entourage, that he is a person they do not want to make any enemy of.

“[Kevin Durant] You don’t want to make an enemy out of me. And, I’m looking right into the camera, and Imma say it again! You do not want to make an enemy out of me. I’m not having it. I’ve done nothing wrong and I’m not going to tolerate it!”

Smith was understandably livid, and that was reflected in his response. The irony was that nine months later, KD would make a move away from OKC. And, although it wasn’t for the City of Angels, he did move to San Francisco to play for the Golden State Warriors, signing a two-year $54,274,505 deal.

Stephen A. still vehemently defends himself and his actions during the clash with KD

It has been eight years since the infamous clash between Stephen A. Smith and Kevin Durant. Since then, the two have progressed so much in their respective careers. Stephen A. has continued to maintain his reputation as one of the premier analysts in sports. As for KD, he is now a two-time NBA Champion and has gone on to play for the Dubs, Nets, and the Phoneix Suns.

So, it’s safe to say, that the two have gone on to achieve great things. Nevertheless, when confronted about the remarks he made all those years back, Smith continues to defend himself. Why? Because, in his opinion, he was just doing his job as a sports journalist.

Understanding Stephen A.’s stance, at the end of the day, he was just doing his job. If he hadn’t made the report, well, he wouldn’t be a very good reporter. However, more than anything else, as mentioned earlier, a significant amount of time has passed since that altercation. At this point, it’s likely that both men would like to let bygones be bygones and move on.