Kevin Durant will never shy away from taking the time to interact with fans. Whether they're praising him or hating on him, Durant is willing to listen and engage with anyone who poses a thought he wants to weigh in on.
This has created a unique relationship between him and online fans, as Durant regularly engages with opinions about him and his peers, even when they're negative.
We saw a fresh example of this on Thursday morning, as Durant sent a message on X which quickly made the rounds.
After a fan criticized modern NBA players like Durant and LeBron James for being 'faster and stronger,' but still being unable to play all 82 games in the NBA's schedule like the superstars before them did. Needless to say, Durant's response made it clear how he views fans who view the game through this mindset.
"The game's faster nowadays, more running, more stress on your ligaments. It’s called evolution, the fans of the NBA have yet to grasp that concept."
Fans quickly weighed in on Durant's response.
"Literally. You have to guard people 40 feet from the basket every possession. How is that hard to understand?" said one fan supporting Durant.
"On top of that, players coming now have, on average, played a lot more high-level basketball and have more miles on them than before even getting into the league," said another fan.
"Bron played in 8 straight finals LMAO what are we doing," said another fan who didn't appreciate LeBron and Durant being placed in the same conversation of durability.
"Games are faster nowadays, but it’s also way easier to recover, medicine and science have taken big steps forward, and a new emphasis on technology has made playing more games easier. 2 way street," said one fan as a counterpoint.
"This is like saying the '80s and '90s were less physical. Every era thinks theirs is best or hardest," said another disagreeing fan.
"Tell that to Mikal Bridges, guess he didn’t get the memo," said another fan, citing Mikal Bridges as an example of modern players still being able to play 82 games a season.
Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23)
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Durant played 62 games last season, averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists. The Phoenix Suns actually were on pace to be a Playoff team when he was on the court, so everyone will hope he can be available for over 65 games this season with the Houston Rockets.
Durant is heading into his 19th NBA season. His longevity is impressive, but equating it with LeBron James would be unfair.
James has a better track record of staying healthy than Durant, but both will be heading into next season with the expectation they'll play 70 games or fewer.
They've made their greatest contributions to the NBA already, so they'll hope they can manage their workload while being on a playoff team so they can push for a title when it matters most.