Former NBA star Shawn Marion criticized Kevin Durant for his recent comments on the United States’ basketball superiority, calling them “cocky” and “arrogant.” Marion, speaking exclusively to the South China Morning Post at an NBA Lunar New Year event in Hong Kong, responded to Durant’s assertion that other nations “can’t compete” with Team USA.
Durant, fresh off leading the U.S. to its fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in Paris, claimed on the Out The Mud Podcast that the United States remains the gold standard in basketball. “This basketball sht is ours. We created this sh*t for real. The best players come from the places we come from. We set the standard for what being great in basketball is,” Durant said.
Marion countered these claims by pointing to the NBA’s recent history of international success. He highlighted that the last six NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards have been won by non-American players, including Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid. “Basketball is such a global sport and is growing continuously,” Marion said. “Think about what you’re just saying. I think it’s going to be another foreign MVP this year.”
While Marion acknowledged Durant’s exceptional talent, he argued that the forward’s comments overlooked the global evolution of the game. He emphasized the growing contributions of international players, adding, “Kevin Durant is one of the most skilled players, I got so much love and respect for him, but of course, that saying was very cocky, very arrogant.”
Durant’s remarks came after Team USA’s successful run at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they secured another gold medal. In the group stage, they defeated Serbia, South Sudan, and Puerto Rico by wide margins before cruising past Brazil in the quarterfinals. A hard-fought 95-91 victory over Serbia in the semifinals set the stage for a gold medal showdown against France, which ended in a 98-87 win for the Americans.
Addressing criticism about tighter games in recent tournaments, Durant dismissed claims of international teams catching up. “They finally get closer than 20 points, and now you’re saying they’re catching up? Nah, that doesn’t make sense,” Durant said.
