"He needs to motivate himself by creating some controversy" - Skip Bayless claps back at Kevin Durant's "I really don't like u" tweet, compares him to Michael Jordan for fabricating beefs
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant has been a lightning rod for opinions since making his NBA debut in 2007. Durant's incredible ability on the court, coupled with his behavior on social media, has brought him scrutiny.
The latest example came when he responded after sports media personality Skip Bayless' tweeted Durant is the best player while taking a dig at LeBron James.
In response, KD tweeted:
Bayless responded to Kevin Durant on his morning show, "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed." Bayless said:
"When I first heard of this yesterday, I laughed and I laughed some more, because Kevin Durant has tried to do this to me several times, dating back to 2012. And this time – I'm sorry, Kevin – I'm not gonna take your bait, I'm not gonna fall into the trap, because this is what you need and what you want."
Bayless compared Durant to Michael Jordan, saying KD extracts motivation from off-court stuff like this to fuel his performances. Jordan was famously known for trying to gain motivation by constantly engineering disagreements with or slights from other players.
Bayless said:
"He can be as strange off the court, especially on social media, where he's had burner accounts before, as he is great on the court. And it occurred to me last night that this weird strategy of Kevin's is, dare I say, Jordan-esque."
The comparison between Durant and Jordan isn't completely unfounded because both of them are the best scorers of their generations and of all time. Their marksmanship, whether from beyond the arc, midrange or from the free-throw line, has always been commended and continues to be a yardstick for other players.
Is Kevin Durant the best player in the world right now?
Few would argue Durant isn't the best player in the world right now. Almost no one would argue Durant, after LeBron James, hasn't been the best player in the NBA in the last decade or so.
A two-time champion and two-time NBA Finals MVP with the Golden State Warriors, Durant is one of the most skilled offensive basketball players of all time. KD's marksmanship, including his range and efficiency, makes him nearly unguardable, and he has averaged 27.1 points per game in his career (910 games).
The Slim Reaper's performance against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, when he dropped 51 points in a 116-104 road win, cemented his place as a frontrunner for the MVP award this season.
With Kyrie Irving out and with James Harden off to his worst season since 2011-12 (when he averaged 16.8 ppg in his third season), Durant has been a workhorse. Durant has shouldered Brooklyn (20-8) to the top of the Eastern Conference, two games ahead of the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.
The regular season is far from being the platform to decide the best player in the world, however. The playoffs will provide KD a chance to add to his legacy and prove he is undisputedly the best player on the planet.
Durant likely could have another conference finals showdown against Giannis Antetokounmpo. If he performs like he did last season against Milwaukee, when he averaged over 35.4 ppg, and gets more help, he'll cement his status as the best in the world.
The Nets were last in the NBA Finals in 2002-03. And the franchise hasn't won a championship since Julius Erving led the New Jersey Nets to a pair of American Basketball Association titles in the 1970s before the merger.