Kevin Durant Rips Analytics, 'Blog Boys,' 'Fan Boys' on Bill Simmons Podcast

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Add Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant to the list of athletes who aren't fond of the use of analytics in sports. 

During an appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast (via NBC Sports Bay Area's Drew Shiller), Durant said he doesn't like analytics "at all" before sharing a personal public service announcement:

"All your blog boys and your fanboys that's gonna use everything I say and create an article—watch a basketball game. How about you write that. I just want to say that, because all these guys are gonna write articles and get real mad about what I said tonight ... they're gonna put their emotions into it. It's not about you. Watch a basketball game. Enjoy the game. Stop worrying about me so much. I just wanted to say that."

"You can't look at numbers first and then watch. (People) are lazy. They don't want to watch games. It's too long, it's too hard to watch a game. There's a bunch of coaching vultures in the game right now. It's a bad place.'

Durant noted he prefers "real stats" like field-goal percentage, turnovers and rebounds, and that metrics like true shooting percentage and PER are "flawed."

The irony is the Warriors, Durant's team, are one of the most analytically driven franchises in the NBA.

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Golden State was named "best analytics organization" in 2016 at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference thanks in part to investing in SportVU cameras that track player movement on the court during games. 

It's a strategy that has paid off for the Warriors, who have won two of the last three NBA titles and own the second-best record in the Western Conference this season (54-20).