Defense? Defense? How about Finals MVP, Mr. President? (Kelley L. Cox/USA Today)
Kevin Durant’s fingerprints were still fresh on his NBA Finals MVP trophy when someone sent him a text.
The message came from someone whose love of hoops is well known, but it still surprised the Golden State Warriors star more than any other he received. It came from former president Barack Obama.
“Well, he sent a text through somebody to get to me,” he said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast.”
The contents of the text? “ ‘Congrats. Your defense was really good,’ which was random,” Durant said with a small chuckle, “and he told me to enjoy it, have some fun, you know, typical stuff. I wasn’t expecting that.”
Simmons gave the issue of whether the Warriors will visit President Trump in the White House a try, but Durant wasn’t taking the bait. The team has said it is waiting to see “when and if” it is invited before deciding.
[Kevin Durant may love Rihanna, but he knows she’s still about LeBron James]
Durant was, though, willing to talk about Rihanna. Although he has had a crush on her in the past, her heart belongs to LeBron James and Durant shot her a withering look during the Finals as she was yelling from her courtside seat. Simmons asked why the singer roots for the Cavs.
“She loves LeBron. She’s been a big LeBron fan for a long time. Everywhere he went, she’s just a big fan. I don’t even think she really watches basketball,” he said with a laugh. “That’s what basketball is about, attaching yourself to players.”
Even former presidents can agree.