This morning, Jay Williams went on TV and told a story about Kevin Durant. He said that Durant had told him at a party never to compare his play to that of Giannis Antetokounmpo. What seemed like an innocent enough anecdote quickly stirred up drama. When we shared the clip on our Instagram page, Durant commented, “This is a Fuckin lie. Jay Willians can NEVER speak for me, ever…”
Durant has been involved in more than his fair share of social media drama throughout his career. He had burner Twitter accounts and extremely aggressive DMs with Michael Rapaport. However, this moment ranks right up there among those as one of the most dramatic of Durant’s social media exchanges.
The story appeared straightforward enough. Jay Williams explained that he had gone on TV the night before a party and compared Giannis to a cross between Anthony Davis and Durant, without some of that skill set. According to Williams, at the party, Durant came up to him and told him never to make that comparison again. However, it appears that Durant is questioning the veracity of that story.
As the story develops and each side speaks out more, perhaps we will learn more about why Durant was so upset with Williams. Either the story was fabricated, or perhaps it is a personal beef between the two. With so little information known as of now, one can only speculate.
All of this is especially relevant now as Durant’s Nets and Giannis’ Bucks are in the middle of a second-round playoff series. The anticipated individual rivalry entering the series was James Harden and Giannis, but with Harden injured, Durant has stolen the spotlight. And this is likely for the best because Harden and Giannis are two totally different players. Giannis is a defensive ace and force in the paint. Harden, on the other hand, prefers to score from the outside and facilitate for his teammates. Durant and Giannis play the same position, are of a similar height and weight, and have each taken home MVP trophies.
Comparing their games
The similarities just about end there, and, through two games, this series has exposed their differences. Durant is a playoff superstar, and Giannis is not. Durant can score consistently and efficiently out of isolations, and Giannis cannot. More importantly, Durant can be a closer in late-game scenarios, while Giannis often cedes to Middleton in those situations.
And this is showing in the team results. The Nets took a 2-0 series lead over the Milwaukee Bucks last night. And they didn’t just win. They dominated, leading by as many as 49 points. The Nets have looked like the juggernaut they are supposed to be a series and a half into the playoffs. And as the Bucks struggle in the playoffs once again, NBA fans and media continue to question if Giannis Antetokounmpo can succeed in the postseason: Durant is showing why not.
All of this shows that the comparison is perhaps flawed and that Williams’ story does not seem unbelievable. However, the real story has shifted away from comparing their play styles and towards Durant’s response. We will have to wait and see what he meant by that and why he was so emphatic.
