Suns’ Kevin Durant: ‘I Don’t Respect Your Opinion If You’re Not In The Gym With Me’

After the Phoenix Suns finished practice on February 21, Kevin Durant addressed NBA legend Charles Barkley‘s “followers” comments.

During a TruTV alternative broadcast of the 2024 All-Star Game, Barkley said Durant was a follower and not a leader. 

“I just feel like a lot of people on TV that don’t ever come to the gym, don’t ever come to games, it’s hard for them to speak on what I do when they’re not in here,” Durant said, via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “It’s just part of TV. They needed something to fill a segment up. So they talk about some negative s—, but if you’re not in the gym, I don’t respect your opinion if you’re not in the gym with me. That’s just what it is.”

Barkley has been very critical of Durant ever since KD joined the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in 2016.

Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder blew a 3-1 lead to the Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals. The Dubs lost the 2016 NBA Finals to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games. Durant joined the Warriors in the summer of 2016 during free agency. 

“No disrespect to Kevin. Kevin’s a follower. He’s not a leader. He’s proven that on all his stops,” Barkley said during the All-Star Game. 

Barkley has been negatively vocal about Durant and his departures from teams. In an interview with CBS in March 2023, Barkley called Durant “very sensitive” and “part of a generation that can’t be criticized.”

Durant didn’t win a ring with the Brooklyn Nets despite playing with Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Only time will tell if the two-time Finals MVP wins a title in Phoenix with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. 

A future Hall of Famer, Durant is averaging 28.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists this season. The Suns are 33-22. They are in sixth place in the Western Conference standings.