Kevin Durant Dismisses Burner Account Accusations As 'Twitter Nonsense'
Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant dismissed accusations he operates burner social media accounts that criticized current and former teammates and coaches, calling the controversy "Twitter nonsense" after practice Wednesday.
Screenshots purporting to show group messages on X under multiple aliases attributed to Durant went viral Sunday during the NBA All-Star Game. The alleged messages included unflattering commentary about Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker and former coach Frank Vogel, as well as Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors. Complaints about Houston's Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. were also included.
"I know you gotta ask these questions, but I'm not here to get into Twitter nonsense," Durant told reporters. "My teammates know what it is; we've been locked in the whole season. We had a great practice today, looking forward to the road trip."
Durant, 37, has nearly 20 million followers on X and approximately 14 million on with a lengthy history of social media activity. Suspicions he used anonymous accounts first surfaced in 2017 when he sent tweets from his personal account in third-person voice explaining his decision to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder, blaming the Thunder organization and then-coach Billy Donovan. Durant later apologized for those tweets.
In a 2019 interview on "The Boardroom," he explained anonymous accounts allowed him to avoid fame's spotlight while speaking more openly. The NBA fined Durant $50,000 in April 2021 for using "homophobic and misogynistic language" in an conversation with actor Michael Rapaport.
Durant was traded to Houston last offseason after three seasons in Phoenix. He is averaging 25.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists for the Rockets, who sit in fourth place in the Western Conference at 33-20.
Injuries have hampered Houston's season. Point guard Fred VanVleet tore his right ACL before the season, while backup center Steven Adams underwent season-ending ankle surgery in January. Forwards Tari Eason and Dorian Finney-Smith have also missed time.
The Rockets are 11-9 over their last 20 games, with coach Ime Udoka questioning the team's competitive drive following several losses. Durant's on-court exchanges have drawn attention, including a viral clip from a February 5 loss to Charlotte where microphones caught him telling Sengun to "Play some defense" after a blown assignment.
