Did Kevin Durant Rip the Media Partially Because of This Clown From the David Letterman Show?

Kevin Durant got all pissy with the media over the weekend for reasons that remain largely unknown – it could be about their continued harsh treatment of his coach, Scott Brooks, or their insistence in asking about Durant’s potential 2016 move to the Wizards – but one wonders if it was simply a daily onslaught of questions during All-Star weekend that prompted his eruption.

Everyone has a breaking point, and specifically, this clown in the above video who is an intern on the David Letterman show, may have been Durant’s.

Fast-forward to the 1:42 mark, when this douche asks Kevin Durant – in the middle of a media scrum – who the sexier Van Gundy is. And then he asks for Durant’s number.

On what planet is that remotely funny?

This is a poorly executed, hacky, embarrassing ripoff of Howard Stern’s old bit from two decades ago. Stern’s minions would deliver dirty, filthy, funny questions to celebrities, usually prompting witty (or angry) retorts. It made for good radio.

This is just … weak.

The media seemed to take Durant’s outburst personally – but we’re so nice to him! – but they seem to forget that despite their proximity to one of the world’s greatest basketball players, it’s just a job. Reporters have a job – to get information. Basketball players have a job – to win games and championships. Actors have to deal with the media leading up to movies; athletes have to deal with the media during the season.

Some savvy players – usually not the elite stars – wisely cozy up to the media because they know in a few years they’ll be looking to make a seamless transition into the media.

Win NBA championships and the media adores you (see David Robinson, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, etc). Stars who come close to a Title but never win it sometimes have a rocky relationship with the press (think Patrick Ewing, Allen Iverson) and though he’s only 26, Kevin Durant could fall into this category.

David Letterman, do better.

Kevin Durant, rage on. [Video via John Walters]