"Their lives are so s***ty that they just get to aim it at other people" - Kevin Durant takes strong dig at hecklers, mentions he hasn't offered Ben Simmons any advice on his Philly return
Kevin Durant has some words of advice for Brooklyn Nets teammate Ben Simmons. With the Nets scheduled to play their next game on the road versus the Philadelphia 76ers on March 10, the focus is on Simmons facing up to Philadelphia fans.
When asked whether he had spoken to Simmons about the return to Philly, Durant denied doing so, but he did provide some perspective on fan mentality and coping with team loyalists. The 12-time NBA All-Star told the media after the Nets trounced the Charlotte Hornets 132-121:
"That's one of those things that he [Ben Simmons] going to have to experience for himself. I can't go over there, nobody going to hold his hand. There's sure going to be some personal attacks. There's going to be some stuff, some words that may trigger you personally. But that's just how fans are. They want to get under our skin. They want to let their voices be heard. Part of the experience of coming to an NBA game is the heckling."
Kevin Durant, who had 14 points and seven assists in the win versus Charlotte, elaborated further:
"Some people don't even enjoy basketball. but that's just how fans are, let theirTheir lives are so s***ty that they just get to aim it at other people. So it's kind of easy to get that release at a basketball game. Ben understands that, and sure, some of that stuff may be fun. You never know, but at the end of the day you realize that life is amazing. We play the game of basketball for a living."
Kevin Durant said he hasn't offered advice to Ben Simmons about returning to Philly, and spoke on fans that come to games to heckle:
"Some people don't even enjoy basketball. Their lives are so s***ty that they just get to aim it at other people" https://t.co/X4lq6j3NBK
"All the greats have been through being called the worst names in the history of the book" - Kevin Durant about how Ben Simmons should deal with the name-calling by Philadelphia fans
Ben Simmons, who did not play a single game for the Philadelphia 76ers this season, was traded to the Brooklyn Nets on trade deadline day (February 10). This will be the very first time he will face a hostile Philadelphia crowd as the Nets play at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday.
Kevin Durant said this about how Simmons should deal with the aggressive fan reaction:
"No. This one you just got to experience for yourself. Embrace it. All the greats have been through being called the worst names in the history of the book. The good thing about it is that we get a chance to perform to shut the people up. It's a fan dynamic between the fans and the players because they really do love us at the end of the day."
Durant added:
"But part of their jobs is to be fans, be fanatics, be radical about the game, about their team. We all understand that as professionals. Some of the stuff may go overboard but at the end of the day ain't nothing going to happen to us, I feel."
More from Kevin Durant on fans coming to games to heckle:
"All the greats have been through being called the worst names in the history of the book" https://t.co/r0lB7ZrTHF