Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant made headlines for the wrong reasons during Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Late in the first quarter, Pelicans rookie Karlo Matkovic set a screen to block Durant from reaching Trey Murphy III. After colliding with Matkovic, Durant appeared to take issue with the play. Moments later, he was caught on video throwing a punch at Matkovic, striking the 23-year-old’s side.
The incident, shared in slow motion by the social media account Pelicans Film Room, quickly sparked outrage. “How is that not an ejection?” one frustrated commenter asked. Another insisted, “He needs to be suspended.” A critic remarked, “Bro mad at a practice level screen,” while another user lashed out, “Kevin Durant, u a dirty player, tryna be slick punching players, just play basketball and stop disrespecting the game.” One particularly upset fan stated, “They could NEVER make me like this freak idc how skilled he is at the game he’s a loser.” Another simply said, “KD losing his mind, man.”
Despite the controversy, Durant was not ejected and went on to finish the game with 17 points, two rebounds, six assists, and three steals in 35 minutes. The Suns secured a 125-108 victory over the Pelicans. However, the backlash surrounding Durant’s actions remains strong, casting a shadow over both him and the team.
