Charles Barkley isn’t a commentator who’s afraid to say what he’s thinking. On that same note, though, Kevin Durant isn’t a superstar who’s just going to let any criticism slide.
During an appearance on First Take last week, Barkley went after Durant for not winning a championship on his own and continuously riding along with others to success. To that, Durant says nothing that Chuck says is going to bother and, if he doesn’t like it, he doesn’t have to keep watching him.
“It’s not gonna stop me and how I approach the game,” said Durant after making his debut with the Phoenix Suns earlier this week.
“I don’t need no credit from y’all, no credit from (Charles Barkley), no credit from Shaq. Y’all don’t ever have to watch me play ever again,” Durant continued. “Don’t talk about me if you don’t (rock) with me. I’m not gonna stop doing what I do. Everybody has their opinions, man.”
Kevin Durant’s career path has made him an easy target for criticism and the poster boy of ‘ring chasers’. After being unable to breakthrough in Oklahoma City with Russell Westbrook, he took his talents to Golden State. In his three seasons there, he picked up a pair of championships with Steph Curry and the Warriors. He then teamed up with Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn. After that, he has since been paired alongside Devin Booker and Chris Paul following this year’s trade deadline.
Now, in Phoenix, he seems primed for another deep playoff run alongside their ‘Big 3’. In his debut against Charlotte, Durant put up 23 points and six rebounds in almost 27 minutes of action. He looked as efficient as ever coming off an injury too by shooting 66.7% from the field and 50% from three.
However, regardless of who he plays with or how he plays, Kevin Durant says he isn’t here for the chatter. He has let it be known again that he’s just trying to hoop and couldn’t care less what anyone, specifically Charles Barkley, has to say about his path to success.
