Kevin Durant says he’s sorry the public saw him use homophobic slurs against Michael Rapaport
Kevin Durant (L) and Michael Rapaport. (Harry How/Brad Barket/Getty Images for New York Magazine)
NBA star Kevin Durant has said he’s sorry that the public saw his homophobic and misogynist messages to Michael Rapaport.
Rapaport shared screenshots of a heated exchange with Durant, dating back to last year, on his Twitter account Tuesday (30 March).
The pair traded barbs with one another, with the Brooklyn Nets player calling Rapaport, among other slurs, a “pale pasty cum-guzzling b***h”.
Having initially issued a tepid apology for his words, simultaneously slamming Rapaport for “acting brand new”, Durant addressed the incident again Thursday (1 April).
“I’m sorry that people seen the language that I used,” Durant said at a post-game press conference following a match between the Brooklyn Nets and the Houston Cougars.
“That’s not really what I want people to see and hear from me, but hopefully I can move past it and get back out on the floor.”
Kevin Durant on his social media messages that were recently made public:
"I'm sorry that people seen that language I used, that's not really what I want people to hear and see from me" pic.twitter.com/UIPRuPdH3B
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) April 1, 2021
Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash confirmed to reporters that he has spoken to Durant in private about the comments, EPSN writer Malika Andrews said.
“Nash declined to share specifics of the conversation,” she tweeted.
Steve Nash said that the organization has had internal discussions about profanity-ridden exchange — which included misogynistic comments — that Kevin Durant had with Michael Rapaport that was posted on social media. Nash declined to share specifics of the conversation.— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) April 1, 2021
The NBA, which has fined players such as Rajon Rondo for use of homophobic slurs in the past, has yet to comment.
According to the screenshots, Durant and Rapaport clashed over Durant’s post-game interview with TNT analyst Charles Barkley after the Brooklyn Nets won over Golden State Warriors in December.
I receive threats and disgusting messages DAILY, but never in my wildest dreams did I think @KDTrey5 would be among them. The ? himself is now threatening me, bringing up my wife and wants to fight. This is supposed to be America’s sweetheart right? #ImDaRealMVP pic.twitter.com/l1VQfGMMRF— MichaelRapaport (@MichaelRapaport) March 30, 2021
Calling him a “c**t”, a “piece of s**t”, a “b***h” and a “pussy”, Durant confronted Rapaport on Instagram and at one point challenged him to a fistfight in New York City.
“I swear Ima spit in your face when I see your dirty a*s,” he wrote, before adding: “Suck a d**k… can’t wait to tell u call this in person.”
After Rapaport made their argument public, Durant sought to downplay the backlash by stressing that he and “Rapaport talk CRAZIER than this on the regular and today he’s pissed,” he tweeted.
“My bad Mike, damn!!”
He then commented on Rapaport’s Instagram, saying that he went “too far”. “My bad,” he commented, “I apologise.”
But he also criticised Rapaport for “acting brand new” about the conversation.
“We been talking like this for years and u got serious today. Wow.”
