Phoenix Suns power forward Kevin Durant. Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Kevin Durant alienates NBA fans with latest comments

By Sai Mohan | Last updated Feb 20, 2025 8:22 AM ET

Talk about pouring salt into the wound.

At a time when the NBA is under constant attack for putting forth a subpar product, specifically the All-Star Weekend, one of the league's best players may have done even more damage.

Kevin Durant has urged disgruntled fans to watch the NHL instead of the NBA, especially if they prefer physicality and the lack of off-the-court drama triggered by free agency and trades. During his back-and-forth with several fans earlier this week, the Suns star asked one user to maintain their mental health by switching to hockey.

For the betterment of your mental health and just overall well being, just don’t watch the nba. Hockey is right there and they play with that aggression that u may like, they also rarely get traded or go to new teams in free agency so the loyalty aspect is there. Hope that helps
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) February 18, 2025

The NHL likely appreciates Durant's endorsement, and their new All-Star Game format was a resounding success. According to Front Office Sports, the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off clash between the U.S. and Canada averaged 4.4M viewers and peaked at 5.2 million, making it the most-watched hockey game since the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.

In comparison, the NBA's Sunday showcase averaged 4.7M viewers, making it the second-least watched All-Star Game in history. The Saturday night event was a flop too, witnessing a huge drop from last year with 3.4M viewers, the fewest in All-Star Saturday history.

The NBA needs to act fast or risk losing more disgruntled fans to hockey or another sport. It doesn't help when some of its top stars ask fans to switch to the alternative, or another key stakeholder pronounces the modern NBA "super boring" on national TV.

The one thing working in the NBA's favor is the attitude of its leader. Commissioner Adam Silver has always been receptive to criticism and tweaking the game to create a more fan-friendly experience. Silver recently admitted the NBA may have "swung too far" in the bombardment of threes and limiting physicality.

Perhaps being humbled by the NHL was a necessary evil for the NBA.

Sai Mohan

A veteran sportswriter based in Portugal, Sai covers the NBA for Yardbarker and a few local news outlets. He had the honor of covering sporting events across four different continents as a newspaper reporter. Some of his all-time favorite athletes include Mike Tyson, Larry Bird, Luís Figo, Ayrton Senna and Steffi Graf.

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