Last summer, Kevin Durant shook up the sports world with his decision to depart from the Oklahoma City Thunder in favor of their superior, the Golden State Warriors. Feuds, memes, and banter ensued between KD, OKC and Internet trolls. Durant sacrificed a hefty paycheck in order to join forces with the strongest opponent in the Western Conference. Nearly a year and a half later, Durant remains fixated on defending his honor by dispelling his haters and naysayers. Unfortunately for KD, the jig is up.
Assuming Alternative Identities
In a social media attempt to “clap back” against libelous comments via alternative identities, Durant created “burner” accounts. Suspicion grew when his brother, Tony, tagged the Instagram username, “quiresultan” near his brother’s likeness rather than verified account, @trey5. The Net exists as a never-ending “rabbit-hole.” Thus, users began to dig and scrape their way toward the root of this dilemma.
Evidently, an NBA Championship, Finals MVP, solid teammates, endorsement deals and tech investments do not measure up to Durant’s satisfaction. In an attempt to silence his online opponents, KD assumed alternate virtual identities. The instance that generated this debacle arrived when he responded to Twitter user, @ColeCashwell, but referred to himself in the third person. As the tweet was sent from his official account (@KDTrey5), qualms arose and some began to question the tweet’s authenticity.
This fiasco delivers another blemish on the burgeoning career of Durant. His Warriors organization has grown perplexed and bewildered as to the rationale behind his recent activity. Last month, Durant went on Bill Simmons’ podcast to proclaim that, “Nobody wants to play in Under Armours.” (USA Today) Many found this derogatory statement to be quite peculiar, especially considering his point guard’s contractual alignment.
Acknowledgment and Accolades
All things considered, the quandary that Durant currently finds himself in will likely become irrelevant once the season begins. Recently, at the San Francisco Disrupt Tech Crunch, Durant addressed the situation head on without excuses or denial. Durant and his partner, Rich Kleiman, approached the Tech Crunch event as an opportunity to invest in products that they could use in their own lives.
Together, Kleiman and Durant launched The Durant Company, a private equity firm that yields nearly thirty investors, to date. Consequently, this organization has benefited from startup investments in companies like Postmates, Player’s Tribune and Propel. Although, Durant is aware that sinking more than half of your net worth into startup efforts could result in dastardly outcomes.
Kleiman and Durant collectively own, “Thirty Five Media” an umbrella company that outsources, spans resources and evaluates insights on incoming deals. This conglomerate controls investments and involves itself with interactive audiences via online outlets, like YouTube.
Durant: A Controversial and Empowering Subject
Despite the recent outburst of media attention, Durant continues to verify himself as a positive role model within the community. The Kevin Durant Charity Foundation seeks to enrich the lives of low-income youth through educational and athletic programs. The Foundation’s most influential resource revolves around the “Build It and They Will Ball” global court renovation project.
In an attempt to turn a critique into a compliment, KD and Nike released a signature, “cupcake” sneaker.
“THE KDX ‘RED VELVET’ CELEBRATES THE SMOOTHEST PLAYER IN THE GAME AND HIS UNDYING QUEST FOR THE SWEET TASTE OF VICTORY.” (THE SCORE)
Durant’s online presence has stirred backlash and led some to question the strength of his moral fiber. Make no mistake, come November, the masses will fixate on basketball and not off-season antics.
“I DON’T THINK I’LL STOP ENGAGING WITH FANS,” HE SAID. “I REALLY ENJOY IT AND IT’S A GOOD WAY TO CONNECT US ALL, BUT I’LL SCALE BACK A LITTLE BIT RIGHT NOW AND JUST FOCUS ON PLAYING BASKETBALL.” (SI)
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