Getty Kevin Durant of Team United States looks to pass around Evan Fournier of Team France during the 2nd half of the Men's Preliminary Round Group B game on Day 2 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Saitama Super Arena on July 25, 2021 in Saitama, Japan.
A season after both the Nets and Knicks made the playoffs for the first time since 2013, the crosstown rivalry just got a tad spicier heading into the 2021-22 campaign.
It’s thanks to Evan Fournier, one of the newest members of the Knicks who earlier this month signed with New York on a four-year deal worth up to $78 million, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Fournier is already doing his part to stoke the flames of the budding Knicks-Nets rivalry.
The 28-year-old Frenchman took to Twitter on Monday to crowdsource advice on getting his hair court in his new city.
“Now I need the best barber in NYC. Cuz I need help lol,” tweeted Fournier, who last season played for the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics.
That’s when Twitter user @KevPKing swooped in to raise the stakes a bit.
“Fella named Kevin. He’s in Brooklyn,” @KevPKing tweeted in his response to Fournier, referencing Nets star Kevin Durant. “ He cut ya up in Tokyo. Maybe he can do it again?”
Durant, of course, served as the leader on a Team USA squad that wound up winning gold earlier this month at the Tokyo Olympics. Durant’s 29 points were a game high in the title contest between Team USA and Fournier’s Team France.
So, no, Fournier wasn’t going to let this one go without a playful jab back at K.D.
“He needs a barber too,” Fournier tweeted back.
@KevPKing He needs a barber too
Shots fired.
Twitter Responds to Fournier’s Shot at Durant
Twitter loved the playful banter from Fournier; his tweet dissing Durant drew more than 200 comments, 1,500 retweets and 7,500 likes in two hours.
“Finally something the Knicks beat reporters can relate to: bald guy beef,” Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweeted.
Fans were just as riled up at Fournier’s tweet.
@EvanFourmizz @KevPKing Evan, Evan Evan. I know you have heart and that’s good but the first mistake you would make is making Kevin upset because he isn’t going to be pleased by this and the Knicks vs nets games will be 50 point blowouts. Please delete this and save your season!
@EvanFourmizz @KevPKing @KDTrey5 you just gon take this????
Fournier ‘a Good Fit for the Knicks
It’s clear Fournier has the attitude that makes him a fit for New York and Madison Square Garden. But he also seems like the perfect on-court complement to the rest of his Knicks teammates.
Since the start of the 2019-20 season, Fournier has averaged 18.0 points and 2.7 3-pointers per game on 46.3 percent shooting from the floor and 40.4 shooting from beyond the arc.
“He’s a very good floor spacer,’’ one NBA scout told Marc Berman of the New York Post earlier this month. “He’s a good fit for the Knicks. A good combo with RJ [Barrett].’’
The Knicks are using Fournier to replace Reggie Bullock, who last year started for them at shooting guard and averaged 10.9 points and 2.5 3-pointers on 44.2 percent shooting from the field and 41.0 percent shooting from 3-point range. Bullock signed a three-year, $31 million deal with Dallas.
“He’s a better player than Reggie, somebody who can create a little for himself,’’ another NBA personnel man told Berman.
Earlier on Monday — before he threw some shade at Durant — Fournier revealed that he’ll wear No. 13 for the Knicks. He’s got some shoes to fill in that regard.
@dan_ny_b 😂😂😂 I will try my best 🥴
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