Warriors’ Durant now says nice-guy act in OKC was ‘phony’

Kevin Durant claims this ornery guy is HIM — really him — and the nice-guy in Oklahoma City was just an act.

“The guy you see now is the real me,” Durant said, according to FS1’s Chris Broussard. “The guy in Oklahoma City was the phony. I was just trying to please everybody and do what I thought everybody wanted me to do. The guy I am now in Golden State, that’s the real me.”

It was an ironic/laughable statement from Durant considering he was caught last season using a fake twitter accounts to defend himself. But his statement to FS1 was more of a response to Charles Barkley, who claimed Durant’s aggressive reactions to criticism is part of a phony persona.

“Kevin Durant is just a really nice guy trying to be a bad guy,” Barkley told Sporting News. “You can’t do that. It doesn’t work. He spends all his time trying to prove to people how tough and bad he is. He’s so worried about what other people say. Kevin Durant is a great player and a great kid. I was one of those guys who criticized him for going to Golden State, but he doesn’t have to respond every time someone says something about it.”

While in OKC, Durant was largely viewed as the personality contrast to Russell Westbrook, meaning he was largely cordial and less intense. That started to change toward the end of his tenure with the Thunder, when he notably attacked the media by claiming, “You guys really don’t know s--.”

Since signing with the Warriors, however, he has evolved (or devolved?) into an angrier player on and off the court. He was ejected a league-leading five times last season, and was chased by an enraged DeMarcus Cousins after a game by the locker room.

On Twitter, he continues to defend himself against criticisms for taking the path of least resistance and joining the Warriors. Most recently, he went after Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum on Twitter for stating that Durant’s move to Golden State was “soft.” Then Durant explained why it’s hypocritical that people want him to stay silent.

“So they can keep talking but I have to shut up?” Durant wrote. “Sounds fishy to me but u know what, I’m not even allowed to be on here since I’m in the nba. Lemme fall back. My bad”

Durant just won his second straight NBA Finals MVP, but the real him seems to care most about his critics.