Kevin Durant Comments on Relationship with Media at 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend

Kevin Durant isn't mincing his words these days.  

A day after expressing his displeasure with the amount of power that media members have in determining postseason awards, the Oklahoma City Thunder star once again took aim at the media on Saturday, this time prompted by questions surrounding the future of head coach Scott Brooks and his job security.

His response was pointed, per Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK.com:

"

"You guys really don’t know (expletive)," Durant told reporters in his final interview session before Sunday’s All-Star Game.

Durant was later asked what stories he would like the media to focus on more.

"To be honest, man, I’m only here talking to y’all because I have to," Durant said. "So I really don’t care. Y’all not my friends. You’re going to write what you want to write. You’re going to love us one day and hate us the next. That’s a part of it. So I just learn how to deal with y’all."

"

Durant also commented on letting more of his personality shine through compared to his early years in the league:

"

I'm 26 years old so I'm in my mid-20s, almost to 30. My first few years in the league I was just finding myself. I think most of the time I reacted based off of what everybody else wanted and how they viewed me as a person. And I'm just learning to be myself and not worry about what anybody says. I'm going to make mistakes. I just want to show kids out here that athletes, entertainers, whoever, so-called celebrities, we aren't robots. We go through emotions. We go through feelings. And I'm just trying to express mine and trying to help people along the way. But I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I'm just this guy that got programmed to say the right stuff all the time and politically correct answers. I'm done with that. I'm just trying to be me and continue to grow as a man.

"

Bomani Jones of ESPN speculated on what the reaction to Durant's statements might be:

While Durant's honesty is refreshing and preferable to when players toe the proverbial company line and answer questions like media-trained robots, it's also fair to question whether a difficult, injury-plagued season has partially inspired his newfound edginess. The Thunder are back in playoff contention, but it's been an uphill climb. 

Durant, the defending MVP, is still averaging 25.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

It's nothing new for athletes to have a prickly relationship with the media, though it seems to have almost come into vogue in the past year, namely after Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks spent much of this NFL season finding creative ways to avoid answering any questions.

Durant, to his credit, has taken a more direct route and seems comfortable transitioning from his former soft-spoken, nice-guy image to a more outspoken, intense persona.