Kevin Durant Responds to Shaquille O'Neal's Jabs About Not Winning an NBA Title

Kevin Durant is not going to take disrespect from Shaquille O'Neal.

After the TNT commentator called out Durant for not winning an NBA title, the Golden State Warriors star responded on The Bill Simmons Podcast on Friday.   

"He said I can't talk to him because I haven't won a championship," Durant said, via Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated. "I can see right through that. Shaq feels validated in life, not just basketball, because he's won a championship.

"... [That] shows me your whole life is centered around [the fact that] you feel like you're someone in this world because you won a championship. For me, it ain't even about that."

Durant originally criticized Shaq's continual mocking of Warriors center JaVale McGee, calling it "childish," per Janie McCauley of the Associated Press (via NBA.com).

O'Neal said those without NBA titles can't speak to those with them.

"He's a great player, but you ain't in the club yet," he said about Durant, per Golliver. "You're on the outside in line with [Charles] Barkley, [Karl] Malone and [John] Stockton. You're not in the club with me and those [championship] guys."

O'Neal has four NBA titles in his career, including three with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat. The Hall of Famer has been the Finals MVP three different times.

Meanwhile, Durant is an eight-time All-Star but only reached the NBA Finals in 2012 and still is yet to win a title. He will hope to change that with the first-place Warriors this year if he can get healthy. Still, none of this seems to affect his mindset.

"If I have something to say, I'm going to say it," the 28-year-old said. "I feel like if you're going to come at my teammate, I'm going to protect him. That's what leaders are supposed to do.

"... Man, you've got flaws, too, and you're just trying to pick on JaVale. Obviously, JaVale would never be Shaq. He's trying out here like everybody else. I just try to have his back."