Critics vs. Craft: Why Kevin Durant and Stephen A. Smith keep clashing

Is sports coverage becoming too personal?

Clara Peller was looking for it back in 1984, and all these years later, I think we found it. The beef. Early in the Phoenix Suns season, words are being thrown back and forth like grenades in the Battle of Pozieres Heights. Kevin Durant, who has had a reputation for responding to those who criticize his craft in a public manner, has been exchanging words through the media with ESPN Stephen A. Smith.

Shocking, right? Stephen A. inciting a response with his hot takes? He makes a living poking professional athletes with his 90-second clips. He’s recently thrown some shade KD’s way, and Durant isn’t having it. Smith questioned Durant’s leadership, and Durant responded after a win over the Trail Blazers on Saturday night.

“Yeah, Stephen A., I don’t understand how people even listen to Stephen A.,” Durant said. “I’ve been in the league for 18 years. I’ve never seen Stephen A. at a practice, or a film session, or a shoot-around. I’ve never seen him anywhere but on TV talking shit about players.”

“Of course, I got things I need to work on,” Durant added. “Stuff that’s, like, so vague and subjective.”

“He’s a clown to me. He’s always been a clown,” Durant added. “You can write that, too.”

That was Saturday. Stephen A. Smith, who hosts ESPN’s First Take, responded on Monday.

“I will not disrespect him the same way he disrespects me,” Smith stated. “It’s unfortunate that no matter how old he gets, his sensitivity seems to heighten with it and his maturity it doesn’t. But that’s something he has to deal with, not me.”

“Unfortunately for him, I don’t have to be at shoot around. I don’t have to be at the post-game locker room,” Smith continued. “I happen to have a hit show that’s been number one for 12 years. I have other things to do with my time.”

“Kevin Durant is going to have to answer this question: Who’s allowed to talk about him?”

“They can critique what we do,” Durant responded in a post-game interview after downing the 76ers with his impressive play on Monday night. “We want to critique as well.”

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My two cents?

I’ll start by acknowledging that I’m among the select few in local Suns media blocked by Kevin Durant on Twitter. That block came after a conversation with him on this very topic: the media. I tried to explain to him there’s a difference between traditional media and fan media, which is where I come in. I’m openly biased; there’s no denying that. I was a fan of the Phoenix Suns before Durant arrived, and I’ll remain one after he moves on. Unlike some in the industry, I’m not here for clicks or to stir controversy for the sake of it—that’s more in Stephen A. Smith’s territory.

I respect Kevin for his dedication to his craft. And I know that hearing people be critical of what you do isn’t always easy to hear. I too have been recently blocking people on Twitter simply because I am doing my best to try to avoid toxic interactions. As the managing editor of a website about a sports team, sometimes people get nasty and they cross the line from sports opinions to personal derogatory remarks when they disagree with my observations. It’s part of the game when you produce content about a team.

I understand where Kevin Durant is coming from here. Blocking out the toxicity. But Smith, given his platform, is hard noise to block out.

He’s the person ESPN is focusing on, and in my opinion, he’s contributing to the decline of quality basketball coverage on the network. This shift is why I no longer have the Zach Lowe podcast, The Lowe Post. The network has become less engaging for the casual fan, prioritizing clicks and views over quality content.

While Bright Side does track that kind of data, it’s not my primary goal as a writer. I’m not here to chase the latest hot story; I’m focused on authentic team coverage over sensationalism. Sometimes, individuals take my critiques personally, but I never intend to be malicious.

There is no right or wrong in this situation. There are opinions; sports opinions. And they’re starting to become personal. Media coverage should prioritize respect and substance over controversy. That’s where we should do what KD told me once: “Do better. Be better.”

Oh, the drama. It will be exciting to get a behind-the-scenes look at what’s happening when Starting 5 premieres on Netflix next summer.