Kevin Durant (Image Credits: Imagn)

Kevin Durant Takes Playful Jab at Team World All-Star’s Intensity With Bold Remark

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Kenny Nosay | Last updated Feb 13, 2026 1:00 AM ET

The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend is finally here, and the NBA is doing everything it can to boost the ratings. With the All-Star Game roster set, one thing remains unclear: will the players play harder this time around? Will older guys like LeBron James and Kevin Durant do their best to come out as victors?

For the last 15-plus years, the ASG itself has turned into a snoozefest. The competition has waned. In what would be a mid-season event that would showcase the talents of the league’s best stars, the opposite continues to happen. There’s an ‘effort’ issue within the contest.

And with this year’s weird format, Kevin Durant had an amusing but somewhat honest answer when asked if the World team would give their best for this non-bearing game.

“You should ask the World team… Luka and Jokić, they don’t care about the game at all,” Kevin Durant half-heartedly joked in a press conference.

"You should ask the World team… Luka and Jokić, they don't care about the game at all"

KD on of his "old head" team will play hard at the All-Star Game

(via @mshap2, @chron) pic.twitter.com/HXe5cWr1K4
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 12, 2026

Despite being one of the world’s top players, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic have never won MVP in the All-Star Game. And neither has given their best effort either. But it’s hard to blame them for their nonchalance. The Americans started this trend of not going all-out in this particular event.

No Question About Kevin Durant’s Dedication To Regular Games

Kevin Durant (Image Credits: Imagn)

While stars like Doncic and Jokic tend to goof around during ASG festivities, there’s no doubt about their intensity when it comes to regular-season games or the playoffs. They know that these are the games that count.

When Kevin Durant was asked if he’s okay with his workload for the Rockets this season, he responded by saying, “I feel great. That’s what I’m paid to do. I get paid 50-something million dollars to be available and play, and be there for my team whenever they need me to be there, so it’s one me to prepare the right way so I can be ready for 40-plus minutes. I’m preparing for 48 minutes a night.”

There’s only one trophy that NBA stars think about these days. And that’s the Larry O’Brien trophy. Kevin Durant wants another title to add to his resume. While he may display a bit of effort on Sunday, don’t be surprised if he relaxes more during the game.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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