Getty Brooklyn's Kevin Durant is interviewed after Game 2 of the Eastern Conference second-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks at Barclays Center on June 07, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Most of us did not have David Letterman crashing Kevin Durant’s press conference on our Nets 2021 Media Day bingo card.
Alas, that’s exactly what unfolded Monday morning at Barclays Center, much to the bafflement of social media and the unamusement of Durant. Amid a day packed with headlines, the Letterman-Durant storyline was certainly the oddest.
ALL the latest Nets news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Nets newsletter here!
Letterman Trolls K.D.
It began on a strange note, Letterman’s offbeat sense of humor grabbing the spotlight, and only continued to get stranger.
The former late night talk show host did his best reporter impression during Durant’s stint at the podium on Monday. Letterman, who referred to himself as “Dave from Basketball Digest,” began by asking Durant why he’s called “K.D.”
Durant, an 11-time All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP, patiently explained that his first name begins with a “K” and his last with a “D.”
After receiving permission to call him K.D., Letterman asked what percentage he plans on giving on the court this upcoming season.
“90? 95? 100? 110? What are we looking at?” Letterman asked Durant, via SNY.
“Uh,” Durant said, “110.”
“Why do people call you KD?” 🤣
David Letterman made it to Nets media day to ask Durant some questions
(via @SNYNets)
That’s when Letterman began to ask a question that appeared to cross the line in Durant’s mind.
“I just got off the phone with the Dolan family,” Letterman began, “and they said they’re talking to the commissioner now. They’re looking to work a contractual deal that will allow you, when you’re not playing for the Nets, days off, you’ll be able to play for the Knicks. Comments?”
Durant, unamused but ubothered to this point, finally seemed to feel as if the joke had run its course.
“All right, Dave,” Durant said. “That was the last one.”
David Letterman at Nets Media Day 😂😂
In fact, it was not the last one.
Before Letterman left, he snuck in one last question and finally drew a laugh from Durant.
“When you guys play the Pelicans,” Letterman asked Durant, “does it kind of make you giggle?”
David Letterman is at Nets media day today.
He has already asked Kevin Durant why they call him “KD,” whether he would play for the Knicks on off days, and if playing the Pelicans makes him “giggle.”
KD is not amused 😂
As Letterman walked out, Durant had the closing remark.
“Y’all just let anyone in here,” he said, via Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.
David Letterman just asked Kevin Durant why he’s called KD, what % he’s going to give on the floor, whether he’d play for the Knicks on days that he’s not playing for the Nets, and whether playing against the Pelicans would make him giggle.
KD: “Y’all just let anyone in here.”
Follow the Heavy on Nets Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content out of Brooklyn!
Durant Weighs in on Kyrie Irving
On a more serious note, Durant – and the rest of his Nets teammates – were peppered with questions Monday about Kyrie Irving, a fellow member of the Big Three who was not in attendance for Media Day and instead conducted his press conference via zoom.
Irving’s vaccination status was a hot topic all day, and though Irving danced around the question himself, Durant approached it head on.
“I don’t expect it to be [a problem],” Durant said, via ClutchPointsApp. “That’s his personal decision, what he does is not on us to speculate. I expect us to have our whole team at some point.”
“I don’t expect it to be [a problem]. That’s his personal decision, what he does is not on us to speculate. I expect us to have our whole team at some point.”
Kevin Durant on Kyrie Irving’s vaccination status.
(via @SNYNets)
Last season, the 29-year-old Irving averaged 26.9 points on better than 50 percent shooting from the field, 40 percent shooting from 3-point range and 90 percent shooting from the free throw line, becoming just the ninth player in NBA history to shoot with such efficiency in a season.
READ NEXT: Kevin Durant Leaves Ex-Warriors Teammate off His Dream Team, Picks Two Lakers Instead