Nets star Kevin Durant sent homophobic and misogynistic private messages to actor Michael Rapaport, according to screenshots Rapaport posted (warning: link contains homophobic, misogynistic and profane language).
SNY:
Kevin Durant on his social media messages that were recently made public:
"I'm sorry that people seen that language I used, that's not really what I want people to hear and see from me" pic.twitter.com/UIPRuPdH3B
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) April 1, 2021
Durant:
I'm sorry that people seen that language I used. That's not really what I want people to hear and see from me. But hopefully I can move past it and get back out on the floor.
Malika Andrews of ESPN:
Steve Nash said that the organization has had internal discussions about profanity-ridden exchange — which included misogynistic comments — that Kevin Durant had with Michael Rapaport that was posted on social media. Nash declined to share specifics of the conversation.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) April 1, 2021
The NBA has repeatedly punished players for their social –media activity . Most of those incidents involved a player posting something for widespread consumption.
Durant clearly intended his words to remain private.
However, in 2012, the NBA fined Knicks big Amar'e Stoudemire (who's now a Nets assistant coach ) for using a homophobic slur in a direct message to a fan .
But the situations aren't identical. Unlike Stoudemire, who seemingly didn't know the fan he messaged, Durant and Rapaport had a preexisting relationship.
We don't know the terms of that relationship. Durant said he and Rapaport “ talk CRAZIER than this on the regular .”
Now that Durant's messages became public without full context, he did well to apologize and not stand by the hateful words.
