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It all started with local radio host and ex-columnist for The Arizona Republic, Dan Bickley, delivering a polarizing take on Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant.
"Kevin Durant is a great basketball player with a very thick resume and very thin skin," Bickley stated in a video posted to X (formerly Twitter).
"Bill Simmons among others recently pointed out how many unhappy teams KD has left in his wake," Bickley said in the video. "Are we supposed to ignore all of this, after what we've experienced the past two years? Are we supposed to ignore the way the defense and the energy spiked during those nine-plus minutes he sat on the bench the other night, when the Suns delivered their best defensive quarter of the season?"
Bickley is referring to a part of the second quarter during Monday's game against the Toronto Raptors. Much was made in the media about that stretch. Durant followed that game up with a 26-point performance on Wednesday (8-of-15 FG, 3-of-7 3PT FG) against the Chicago Bulls with eight assists.
"Or are we supposed to be blissful and grateful that Kevin Durant is in our small, dusty ecosystem wearing our colors?" Bickley continued. "The answer for me is a hard no, but our concerns matter not to many KD Stans. ... I must remind everyone; this franchise is bigger than one player. This franchise represents the love, and the yearning and the heartbreak of many generations of Arizonans. And we are well past fawning over individual greatness."
Many fans took issue with Bickley's comments on multiple levels. Durant even reposted three of them. Read those three posts below:
On Thursday, Durant mocked Bickley for his take and replied to his original video:
"You stupid KD Stan’s on the internet forced him to do this, you really got to him this time. A full video breakdown????? the area underneath Bickley’s skin is occupied by you scumbags and now I have to deal wit it. Shame on you…have a great rest of your day Phoenix and every town in this beautiful state," Durant replied on X.
For those who do not spend much time on X, or are having a difficult time keeping up with what Durant is saying in general here, he sarcastically blames his Stans for forcing Bickley to say this. This is because Bickley takes a shot at Durant Stans in his video.
He also then sarcastically chastises his Stans for getting under Bickley's skin, and pretends to be mad that Durant now has to deal with extra criticism.
Twenty-two minutes earlier, he also mocked John Gambadoro, who is also a local radio host and Bickley's co-worker. Gambadoro was someone who focused on that second-quarter run that the Suns went on against Toronto with Durant on the bench. Gambadoro says that he was not trying to knock Durant.
Durant may or may not believe that, but regardless, Durant responded to him:
"Like I get told everyday John. Don’t be thin skinned, u make good money and it’s apart of the job, the people pay your salary..deal with it or quit but PLEASE STOP RESPONDING,YOU ARE BIGGER AN BETTER THAN THESE PEOPLE lol hahaha goodmorming Phoenix and the surrounding areas," Durant replied.
Durant is referring to how many in the media say he is thin-skinned for responding to critics on social media because Durant makes a lot of money, and the criticism he receives comes with the job and these critics help pay his salary. Perhaps Gambadoro has said that as well. Regardless, Durant has not been one to shy away from showing what he thinks of Gambadoro's criticism of Durant in Phoenix:
The Phoenix Suns sit at 33-37 on the season, despite entering the year with many pundits expecting the team to contend for an NBA championship. Simmons himself expected a regular-season win total in the low-50s at the least, and now the best the team can do is achieve 45 regular-season wins.
Despite this, Durant is averaging 26.4 points per game (on 52.6/41.6/83 shooting splits) and 1.2 blocks per game on the year.
Adding impressive Year 18 production to his "thick" resume, Durant will look to use the "energy" gained from his critics' evaluations of him to propel the Suns to success, as they embark on the last 12 regular-season games of their playoff push.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kevin Durant responds to polarizing takes from local radio hosts on X
Continue reading...
"Kevin Durant is a great basketball player with a very thick resume and very thin skin," Bickley stated in a video posted to X (formerly Twitter).
"Bill Simmons among others recently pointed out how many unhappy teams KD has left in his wake," Bickley said in the video. "Are we supposed to ignore all of this, after what we've experienced the past two years? Are we supposed to ignore the way the defense and the energy spiked during those nine-plus minutes he sat on the bench the other night, when the Suns delivered their best defensive quarter of the season?"
Bickley is referring to a part of the second quarter during Monday's game against the Toronto Raptors. Much was made in the media about that stretch. Durant followed that game up with a 26-point performance on Wednesday (8-of-15 FG, 3-of-7 3PT FG) against the Chicago Bulls with eight assists.
"Or are we supposed to be blissful and grateful that Kevin Durant is in our small, dusty ecosystem wearing our colors?" Bickley continued. "The answer for me is a hard no, but our concerns matter not to many KD Stans. ... I must remind everyone; this franchise is bigger than one player. This franchise represents the love, and the yearning and the heartbreak of many generations of Arizonans. And we are well past fawning over individual greatness."
Many fans took issue with Bickley's comments on multiple levels. Durant even reposted three of them. Read those three posts below:
Hey Bickley, looks like you have an advanced degree in being a blithering idiot when it comes to Kevin Durant. Congrats, you have officially surpassed being a mere moron. Go back to Chicago and stay there for good.
— KC️DC (@KCStories) March 19, 2025
On Thursday, Durant mocked Bickley for his take and replied to his original video:
"You stupid KD Stan’s on the internet forced him to do this, you really got to him this time. A full video breakdown????? the area underneath Bickley’s skin is occupied by you scumbags and now I have to deal wit it. Shame on you…have a great rest of your day Phoenix and every town in this beautiful state," Durant replied on X.
For those who do not spend much time on X, or are having a difficult time keeping up with what Durant is saying in general here, he sarcastically blames his Stans for forcing Bickley to say this. This is because Bickley takes a shot at Durant Stans in his video.
He also then sarcastically chastises his Stans for getting under Bickley's skin, and pretends to be mad that Durant now has to deal with extra criticism.
Twenty-two minutes earlier, he also mocked John Gambadoro, who is also a local radio host and Bickley's co-worker. Gambadoro was someone who focused on that second-quarter run that the Suns went on against Toronto with Durant on the bench. Gambadoro says that he was not trying to knock Durant.
Durant may or may not believe that, but regardless, Durant responded to him:
"Like I get told everyday John. Don’t be thin skinned, u make good money and it’s apart of the job, the people pay your salary..deal with it or quit but PLEASE STOP RESPONDING,YOU ARE BIGGER AN BETTER THAN THESE PEOPLE lol hahaha goodmorming Phoenix and the surrounding areas," Durant replied.
Durant is referring to how many in the media say he is thin-skinned for responding to critics on social media because Durant makes a lot of money, and the criticism he receives comes with the job and these critics help pay his salary. Perhaps Gambadoro has said that as well. Regardless, Durant has not been one to shy away from showing what he thinks of Gambadoro's criticism of Durant in Phoenix:
The Phoenix Suns sit at 33-37 on the season, despite entering the year with many pundits expecting the team to contend for an NBA championship. Simmons himself expected a regular-season win total in the low-50s at the least, and now the best the team can do is achieve 45 regular-season wins.
Despite this, Durant is averaging 26.4 points per game (on 52.6/41.6/83 shooting splits) and 1.2 blocks per game on the year.
Adding impressive Year 18 production to his "thick" resume, Durant will look to use the "energy" gained from his critics' evaluations of him to propel the Suns to success, as they embark on the last 12 regular-season games of their playoff push.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kevin Durant responds to polarizing takes from local radio hosts on X
Continue reading...
