Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant brushed off accusations on social media that he was behind “burner” accounts that were critical of teammates and coaches from his past and present, saying after practice on Wednesday “I’m not here to get into Twitter nonsense.”
The claims, which went viral Sunday while Durant was playing in the NBA All-Star Game, originated from a series of screenshots purported to be group messages on the X platform that included Durant (under multiple aliases). There was unflattering commentary about Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker and former Suns coach Frank Vogel, as well as Golden State’s Steph Curry and coach Steve Kerr. The messages also included complaints about the Rockets’ Alperen Şengün and Jabari Smith Jr.
“I know you gotta ask these questions, but I’m not here to get into Twitter nonsense,” Durant told reporters following Houston’s practice.
“But I get you all have to (ask). My teammates know what it is; we’ve been locked in the whole season. We had a great practice today, looking forward to the road trip.”
The 37-year-old Durant has nearly 20 million followers on X and approximately 14 million on Instagram and has a long history of being active on social media. But suspicions that he used burner accounts first surfaced in 2017, when he sent several tweets from his personal Twitter account — in a third-person voice — explaining his decision to leave Oklahoma City the year before (he blamed the Thunder organization and then-coach Billy Donovan). Durant would later apologize profusely for those tweets that he deemed “stupid.”
In an interview on “The Boardroom” two years later, he explained he used anonymous accounts as a way to avoid the spotlight that comes with his fame while being freer to speak openly. In April 2021, Durant was fined $50,000 for by the NBA for using “homophobic and misogynistic language” in an Instagram conversation with actor Michael Rapaport (who publicly shared screenshots of the exchange).
Ironically, Durant was asked about his well-known affinity for X during All-Star weekend media availability on Saturday.
Durant, who is averaging 25.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists, was traded to the Rockets last summer after spending three seasons in Phoenix. Houston (33-20) is currently in fourth place in the Western Conference.
Although Durant’s individual production has remained at an All-Star level in his first season with the Rockets, the on-court results haven’t always lived up to the expectations this group had entering the season.
Injuries have certainly played a major role. Veteran point guard Fred VanVleet tore his right ACL before the start of the season. Backup center Steven Adams hasn’t played since Jan. 20 after undergoing season-ending ankle surgery. Forwards Tari Eason and Dorian Finney-Smith have also been in and out of the lineup as Houston attempts to manage their minutes due to prior injuries.
Surprisingly, Durant, an 18-year veteran, has been one of the healthiest players on the roster, appearing in 50 of Houston’s 53 games this season. Yet, the Rockets are 11-9 over their last 20 games, and coach Ime Udoka has questioned his team’s competitive drive several times after questionable losses this season.
Durant’s on-court demeanor became a topic of conversation during some of Houston’s lowest moments before the All-Star break. During the Rockets’ 109-99 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Feb. 5, a clip of Durant went viral after microphones under the basket caught him telling Şengün to “Play some defense,” after a blown assignment led to a layup.
The severity of these on-court exchanges can often be overblown. But with some of these rumors swirling around Durant’s alleged online activities, it will only increase the questions some have about Houston’s team chemistry.
With only 29 games remaining on their schedule, the Rockets have a chance to either rise or fall in the West playoff bracket. Houston is tied in the loss column with the third-seeded Denver Nuggets and four games behind the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs.
However, the difference between the No. 4 seed and the No. 7 seed (Phoenix Suns) in the West is only three losses. If the Rockets don’t finish strong, they could lose their home-court advantage in the first round or even end up in the Play-In Tournament, which would be an outright disaster.
More than ever, Houston needs to come together as a team. Dealing with situations like this could complicate that process more than expected.