Nets’ Kevin Durant insists he doesn’t condone hate speech, antisemitism
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant took to Twitter on Friday to “clarify” comments he made earlier in the day.
“Just wanna clarify the statements I made at shootaround, I see some people are confused,” Durant tweeted. “I don’t condone hate speech or (antisemitism), I’m about spreading love always. Our game Unites people and I wanna make sure that’s at the forefront.”
Durant raised eyebrows when he spoke about the suspension of teammate Kyrie Irving related to Irving’s previous linking to a movie and book that contain antisemitic tropes via social media and his failure to formally apologize until after he was banned without pay by the Nets for “no less than five games.”
“I ain’t here to judge nobody or talk down on nobody for how they feel, their view or anything,” Durant said following Friday’s shootaround, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. “I just didn’t like anything that went on. I feel like it was all unnecessary. I felt like we could have just kept playing basketball and kept quiet as an organization. I just don’t like none of it.”
The Nets said Thursday they were “dismayed” that Irving “refused to unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs, nor acknowledge specific hateful material in the film” when speaking with reporters earlier that day. While Irving’s Instagram account eventually shared an apology, Nets general manager Sean Marks made it clear Friday that post is “not enough” for the one-time NBA champion to eventually earn reinstatement.
“In an email outlining the suspension to his agent, the conditions needed for Irving’s reinstatement included a public statement recognizing the film is antisemitic, an apology for supporting the film and the falsehoods within it, and training sessions on the dangers of hate speech,” sources told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski. Marks added Irving will also deal “with some anti-hate and some Jewish leaders within our community” and “sit down with the organization” to “see if this is the right opportunity to bring him back.”
Meanwhile, Bryan Kalbrosky of For The Win is among numerous media members who have blasted Durant and other “voices of the NBA community” for staying silent about Irving sharing a link for an antisemitic book and movie that reportedly are now bestsellers on Amazon.
The Nets have lost six of eight games to begin the season and will be without Irving when they play at the 4-4 Washington Wizards on Friday night.