Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant, center, celebrates with his mother Wanda Durant as he is named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player after Game 5 of basketball's NBA Finals between the Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Oakland, Calif., Monday, June 12, 2017. The Warriors won 129-120 to win the NBA championship. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Stephen A. Smith Apologizes to Kevin Durant's Mom for Comments on Finals MVP

Adam WellsJun 13, 2017

After Kevin Durant was named MVP of the 2017 NBA Finals on Monday, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith used his platform on First Take to issue an apology to Durant's mother.

Smith offered his apology to Wanda Durant after criticizing her son last summer for joining the Golden State Warriors:

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After Durant announced his decision to join the Warriors, who were coming off a 73-win season before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, Smith offered this assessment on Twitter:

Durant helped the Oklahoma City Thunder build a 3-1 series lead over the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals last year before Golden State came back to win three straight games.

After joining the Warriors, Durant helped the franchise lead the NBA in wins for the third straight season and win a second NBA title in three years. The 28-year-old averaged 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists in the NBA Finals against the Cavaliers.