Kevin Durant fined, apologizes for using offensive language in DM to Michael Rapaport

‘I’m sorry… That’s not what I want people to see or hear from me.’

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant has apologized to actor Michael Rapaport for the offensive language he used during their heated social media exchange.

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Earlier this week, Rapaport posted screenshots on Twitter of his private messages with the 11-time NBA All-Star, some of which included homophobic and misogynistic language.

Their beef began in December 2020 when Rapaport criticized Durant’s post-game interview with Inside the NBA co-host Charles Barkley. Per PEOPLE, Durant gave a one-word response to one of Barkley’s questions, and that left Rapaport feeling some way.

“[Durant] seemed deeply in his feeling with the @NBAonTNT crew after the game,” Rapaport tweeted on Dec. 22. “DAMNIT he’s super sensitive about everything. Don’t do the interview.”

Durant clapped back at Rapaport in a private message on social media, calling him a b—‘ and challenging the actor to a fight.

“I receive threats and disgusting messages DAILY, but never in my wildest dreams did I think [Durant] would be among them,” Rapaport tweeted, along with screenshots of his exchange with the NBA star.

“The [snake emoji] himself is now threatening me, bringing up my wife and wants to fight. This is supposed to be America’s sweetheart right?” he added.

Many Twitter users slammed Durant for using multiple gay slurs in his conversation with Rapaport.

Outkick’s Clay Travis tweeted “The NBA made Donald Sterling sell his team for racist comments made in a private conversation. They set the precedent that private conversations are actionable when they go public. The same standard should apply for Kevin Durant’s DMs. Why isn’t it being applied?”

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Durant apologized for the foul language he directed at Rapaport.

“I’m sorry that people have seen the language I used,” he said. “That’s not what I want people to see or hear from me, but hopefully I can move past it and get back out there on the floor,” Durant added.

Durant also commented underneath Rapaport’s post on Instagram on Wednesday, writing “my bad I apologize,” and making clear that he would “never fight Mike.”

In response to the screenshots that Rapaport posted, Durant said, “Me and mike talk CRAZIER than this on the regular and today he’s p—-d,” he wrote. “My bad mike, damn!!” To which Rapaport replied, “No we don’t P—y. Don’t ever threaten me or speak on my wife P—y,” he wrote.

During Wednesday’s episode of his podcast, I Am Rapaport, the veteran actor read some of Durant’s private messages to him, calling him “very sensitive” and said the athlete was acting “like he had his period.”

Meanwhile, Durant will be fined $50,000 by the league for using homophobic language in his private messages to Rapaport. In a statement on Friday, the league confirmed the fine is for “offensive and derogatory language on social media.”

Read More: John Boyega responds after Michael Rapaport says he should be ‘grateful’ for ‘Star Wars’

Sports columnist Skip Bayless weighed in on the controversy on Twitter, writing “Kevin Durant is the Best Player on the Planet. But when it comes to dealing with the media & social media, he has a screw loose. He’s the thinnest-skinned superstar ever. YET THERE’S NO REASON TO BE. HE’S KEVIN FREAKIN DURANT. HE SHOULD BE ABOVE PSYCHO FEUDS AND BURNER ACCOUNTS.”

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