One of the faces of int🌳ernati😼onal basketball appears to be taking issue with his primary sponsor.
After Nike released its oriented around the 2024 Paris Olympics, star Kevin Durant — who conspicuously wasn’t included in the film — took to Instagram to express his displeasuജre.
“@nike tell me, am I a bad person?????” Durant posted on his Instagram story while ౠwearing a Nike Team USA basketball shirt.
The 35-year-old appeared to make reference to the refrain used throughout Nike’s commercial, which included basketball stars LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kobe Bryant, A’ja W𒐪ilson, Victor Wembanyama and Sabrina Ionesc🉐u.
Durant then followed up his original post with a pi🌃cture of him receiving his 2012 gold medal in Nike garb, accompanied with the text “Bee♌n wit yall every step of the way @nike.”
The bad beef appeared to extend deeper after Durant’s agent, Rich Kleiman, remarked “It is so nice to be seen” after Durant was photographed for a ꦜTeꦡam USA x Kith merchandise collaboration.
The 14-time All-Star has only worn Nike shoes throughout his illus♛trious career and launched his signature “KD” line in 2009.
In April ༒2023, Durant became just the third athlete ever to sign a lifetime contract with the brand.
Regarding his on-the-court play instead of apparel, Durant has been sidelined from Team USA’s pre-Olympic competition as he rehabs from a calf injury.
However, there appeared optimism for a return, with The Athletic’s Shams C🔥harania noting that Durant practiced on Friday and could play in Monday’s matchup with Germany.
Even sans the four-time scoring champion, Team USA hasn’t missed much of a step, going 4-0 in exhibition showcases thus far — although one such win was a one-point escape agai♌nst Sout𝐆h Sudan.
The Americ🃏ans begin their journey for a fifth straight gold medal against Serbia — who they crushed, 105-79, on July 17 — on Julyꦆ 28 from Lille, France.