Stephen A. Smith: Kevin Durant Is Lying

Stephen A. Smith’s feud with Kevin Durant continued on Monday when the ESPN analyst called Durant a liar on the mid-morning debate show, First Take.

“Kevin Durant is the one that’s lying,” Smith said.

It began on Tuesday last week when Smith reported, citing sources close to Durant, that Los Angeles was the super star’s preferred destination if he did not re-sign with Oklahoma City after the season.

Durant combatted that statement on Friday, saying “I don’t talk to Stephen A. Smith at all. Nobody in my family, my friends, they don’t talk to Stephen A. Smith. So he’s lying.”

Smith’s response today was mostly aimed at Durant.

“(Durant) said nobody that I know really talks to him. Well, his own mother was on this show. His brother Tony is somebody that I’ve run across on many occasions and the last point that I would like to make is that if nobody speaks to me, maybe you need to check with folks in your inner circle again and ask why did I receive phone calls over this weekend with people telling me, ‘Let’s chill this little beef that’s going on,’ so evidently you’re wrong about that too.”

“You don’t know who I talk to. If I’m so wrong then why haven’t you signed an extension with Oklahoma City to stay for years and years to come?”

Smith alluded mainly to the Lakers, noting Kobe Bryant’s departure and Los Angeles being Russell Westbrook’s likely destination should he choose to leave Oklahoma City when his contract expires a year after Durant.

“What I would like to ask Kevin Durant and some of the brothers who talk behind my back who probably put him up to something stupid like this: do you really want me to come out of this seat and go back on the scene? Do you really want to see me in an NBA arena? Because I can assure you I’ll find out more in 10 minutes than I can get from 50 phone calls. We don’t have to talk to you to talk about you.”

Smith concluded his defense with this goosebump-raising statement for Durant:

“You don’t want to make an enemy out of me.”

In an ironic turn of events, Stephen A. thought his comments were being misconstrued after the Durant rant.

That drew an instant reaction from fans and media alike.

Stephen A. said he's not finished dealing with Durant. It doesn't look like this feud will be ending any time soon.