Kevin Durant Jokes Simone Biles 'Inspired Me to Keep Tweeting' at Paris Olympics

Phoenix Suns and Team USA Olympic basketball star Kevin Durant said this week in Paris that he has drawn inspiration from American Olympic gymnast Simone Biles.

Speaking to Sam Amick of The Athletic, KD described how impressed he has been regarding Biles' ability to handle the pressure of being an elite athlete, while also clapping back at her critics when need be.

"When people see so much potential in you at an early age, you're gonna get nitpicked like that, and she's been through it at the highest of highest levels," he said. "For her to continue to come out and showcase the brilliance every day, and also let people know that they sound crazy talking against her? To be able to do both is inspiring."

Durant went on to add: "So yeah, she's inspired me to keep tweeting and keep doing what I do on the court too."

The 35-year-old Durant may have been referencing the recent public feud Biles seemed to have with former USA Gymnastics teammate MyKayla Skinner.

In a since-deleted video (h/t Becca Longmire of People), Skinner was critical of the 2024 Team USA women's gymnastics squad prior to the Olympics, saying: "Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn't like what it used to be. Just notice like, I mean, obviously a lot of girls don't work as hard. The girls just don't have the work ethic."

After the Americans won Olympic gold in the team event, Biles took a clear shot at Skinner in an Instagram post, writing, "Lack of talent, lazy, Olympic champions."

Biles may have solidified her status as the greatest gymnast of all time at the 2024 Summer Games, as she won her second career gold medal in both the individual and team all-around events.

She is an 11-time Olympic medalist overall and a 30-time world championship medalist, but she still has to deal with detractors at times.

When a mental block known as "the twisties" forced her to pull out of most of her scheduled events at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, Biles faced plenty of criticism, but she proved doubters wrong by returning to the top of the mountain in Paris.

Durant is unquestionably one of the greatest basketball players of all time with two NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVPs and three Olympic gold medals, but he has to deal with denigrators as well.

KD has never been shy about clapping back at people who criticize him on social media, and his comments about Biles suggest he doesn't plan to stop any time soon.