Kevin Durant: I’d Love To Play With Kobe Bryant

By Cory Buck | Dec 17, 2014

Dec 14, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) handles the ball against Phoenix Suns center Miles Plumlee (22) during the third quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant defended Kobe Bryant when asked about Bryant’s reputation as a teammate.

Kobe Bryant recently ascended to third on the all-time NBA points scored list, prompting plenty of discussion about Kobe and the legacy he’ll leave behind. When Kevin Durant was asked about Kobe’s occasionally notorious reputation as a vicious teammate, Durant quickly took to the Hall of Famer’s defense, saying he’d play alongside Kobe any day of the week.

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“Excuse my language, but that’s (expletive),” Durant said, per USA Today. “I want to play with a winner every single night, especially somebody who wants to win that bad, who works that hard, who demands a lot, who raises up your level. I’d want to play with a guy like that every day. … (His style) may make people uncomfortable, how he acts and just how he approaches the game, but I love that type of stuff. I think (the accusation) is BS.”

Durant is a results guy, and who can blame him? As a player who’s led the NBA in scoring before, he understands what it takes to be the best, something Kobe has never shied from.

“He doesn’t mind being an (expletive), and he comes to work, man. He’s intense,” Durant said. “He demands a lot out of his teammates, and I’ve seen that just playing alongside him in the Olympics (in 2012). He demands a lot out of everybody.”

That’s some high respect from one superstar to another, and just another indication of what a great teammate Durant can be that he’d gladly give up some shots of his own to make way for a talent like Kobe Bryant.

So hey, Kevin, if you’re really feeling strongly about that whole playing-with-Kobe thing, the Lakers could use a lot of help. What do you say? No? Well, it was worth a shot.

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