Kevin Durant & Charles Barkley Twitter feud timeline including 'sensitive' remarks and more explained
Kevin Durant & Charles Barkley have continued to verbally spar over the years. While Barkley is far from the only one to criticize Durant, the pair's feud seems to be an ongoing situation with no signs of slowing down any time soon.
Things started years back in 2016 when Kevin Durant made the shocking decision to part ways with the OKC Thunder after he and the team blew a 3-1 lead in the playoffs. After joining the Golden State Warriors, Durant found himself on the receiving end of quite a bit of criticism that has continued to this day.
In 2022, Barkley explained that although Durant is an all-time great, he won't get the respect he deserves until he wins a ring as a bus driver rather than a passenger. Kevin Durant & Charles Barkley then began feuding after the comments, which came up on ESPN's Get Up, where the Hall of Famer stated:
"Kobe Bryant said, ‘I had to win a championship without Shaq.’ LeBron James said, ‘I had to win a championship without [Dwayne] Wade and Chris Bosh. That’s the way this thing works.
"Before KD gets that great respect from all the old heads, he’s going to have to win a championship as the bus driver. Listen, he joined that team that already won a championship, no disrespect, that’s just a fact."
Kevin Durant & Charles Barkley feud continued
Kevin Durant & Charles Barkley's feud really kicked off once Durant acknowledged the legend's comments. Rather than take LeBron James' approach to Skip Bayless and ignore the claims, Durant addressed them on an episode of The ETCs Podcast:
"He's a f—ing legend that I've got nothing but respect for, and when I look up, I'm gonna play with pride knowing that he put blood, sweat and tears into this organization. So, that ain't got nothing to do with how he is as an analyst, though. Like, I don't agree with how he approaches the game as a Hall of Famer.
"His game as an analyst — I don't really f*** with your approach. That's my opinion on you, just like your opinion on us."
Kevin Durant & Charles Barkley's feud then took another turn later in the month of March, when Barkley addressed things on 60 Minutes:
"He's very sensitive. Great player. He's part of that generation who think he can't be criticized. He's never looked in the mirror and says, 'Man, is that a fair criticism?'"
Durant, a notorious Twitter user, then responded to the claims, questioning whether or not it was exhausting for Barkley to keep up the feud. In addition, Durant also echoed a fan, who explained the two-time champ's position.
This ain’t gettin tiring chuck? I’ll never respect the words that come out ya mouth fam just deal with it twitter.com/awfulannouncin…
This where I’m at wit it… twitter.com/isaiah_wilhite…
Since then, Durant has made it clear that he has no desire to sit down with the Hall of Famer to talk things out. When the 2023-24 NBA season tips off, only time will tell whether the Kevin Durant & Charles Barkley feud rears its ugly head once again.