Kevin Durant calls former ESPN employee a ‘dumbass’

Naveen Ganglani

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant took shots at a former ESPN employee for criticizing the team's contract extension of Nick Collison

DEFENSIVE PLAYER. Kevin Durant doesn't like it when you criticize his teammates. File photo by Larry W. Smith/EPA

MANILA, Philippines – Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant didn’t mince words in defense of his teammate Nick Collison’s new contract extension, calling former ESPN employee Chris Palmer, who criticized the move, a “dumbass’ on Twitter. 

Early Wednesday morning, February 4 (PH time), the Thunder announced they had signed back-up big man Nick Collison to a two-year, $8-million contract extension.  

Durant was quick to applaud the transaction, even calling his teammate – who was drafted 12th overall by the franchise (when they were still the Seattle Supersonics) in the 2003 NBA Draft – “Mr. Thunder.”

 

Collison is averaging just 3.8 PPG and 3.4 RPG this season in 16 minutes per game. Throughout his career, the 10-year pro has put up averages of 6.4 PPG and 5.5 RPG. 

Collison’s numbers aren’t eye-catching, but he’s a favorite of the franchise and their fans due to his high-energy play and contributions that don’t go noticed on the stat sheet: diving on the floor for loose balls, providing solid screens, drawing offensive fouls, and protecting his teammates during skirmishes.

 

Yet that didn’t stop Palmer, who worked at ESPN for 15 years up to the 2012-2013 NBA season, from knocking Oklahoma City’s decision to extend him.

OKC is currently no. 10 in the Western Conference standings with a 24-24 record – due in large part to injuries suffered by Kevin Durant (foot) and Russell Westbrook (hand) – and is in a tight battle with Phoenix (28-22) and New Orleans (26-22) for the no. 8 and final playoff seed in the West.

Four minutes later, Durant replied with his own opinion, calling out Palmer for getting “fired” from ESPN.

 

Palmer quickly responded and showed his appreciation for Durant sticking up for Collison, but also indicated that the former NBA MVP isn’t accurate with his information.

Palmer wrote for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN Insider for most of his tenure with the company. 

In an article published by Inside Hoops, the sports writer said that “Being at ESPN for 15 years has been an amazing experience. I’m grateful for the opportunity they gave me out of college and thankful to have learned so much from so many talented people over the years.”

There was no mention if Palmer was fired, as Durant indicated; just that his contract ended after the 2012-2013 NBA season and he would become a free agent. 

But many have speculated that Palmer was fired for his outlandish statements on Twitter, such as when he called NBA legend Larry Bird the “most overrated shooter of all time.” 

In April 18 2013, Palmer also tweeted that New York Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony is the “Best player who’s never won anything,” (pertaining to those who haven’t won NBA championships) and put him on top of that list ahead of Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. 

He also said “Melo might be the best pure scorer in the game’s history. It’s just crazy.”

Close to a month later on May 15, 2013, Palmer tweeted: “Is Melo a Hall-of-Famer? Right now, no.”

Rappler.com

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