Charles Barkley is heavily criticized for saying Kevin Durant isn’t a leader, but ‘a follower’

Charles Barkley’s feud with Kevin Durant is of common knowledge within the basketball world, as the legend has always been overly critical of the Suns veteran, who always seems to react to criticism. During this All-Star Weekend, it was no exception as the broadcast shot a dart at KD, saying he’s never been a leader. 

“No disrespect to Kevin. Kevin’s a follower. He’s not a leader. He’s proven that on all his stops,” the Hall of Famer said on Sunday. “[Devin] Booker’s a hell of a player, also. I think he’s going to have to take the initiative and take this Suns team to the next level. … But I said the same thing with Boston: One of your guys has to step forward, he has to step forward, and for me, for Phoenix to be successful, it has to be Booker.”

In the past, Chuck has expressed his disappointment after Durant’s departures from teams and lack of collective success. Last year he claimed the forward was “part of a generation that can’t be criticized.”

“Kevin's a follower. He's not a leader. He's proven that on all of his stops.” 😳

– Charles Barkley on Kevin Durant

(h/t @NBA_NewYork )

pic.twitter.com/TmH3gcTLxk

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 19, 2024

In a recent interview for Durant’s owned Boardroom, a media platform, agent Rich Kleiman asked his client about his thoughts over Barkley’s comments and his reputation around the NBA.

“I don’t feel like I want people to call me a leader, but I also don’t want people to say I’m not one either, because they don’t see what goes on behind the scenes of what I talk about or my intentions or relationships that I’ve built with my teammates and my support staff,” the Phoenix star said.

The 35-year-old simply dismissed Charles’ criticism and said that many people are “not being aware” of his leadership style. His own coach Frank Vogel also defended his pupil.

“He definitely leads by example, but he also speaks up when he needs to. Not every player is going to be a rah-rah type,” expressed the Suns tactician. “Every player leads in their own way. You have to lead within your personality. I learned that as a coach a long time ago, that I can’t come in and try to be Rick Pitino, as much as he inspired me to get into coaching. Our personalities are different.”

Durant acknowledged why these types of questions about his leadership come up, but he addresses them as misunderstandings

During the same interview on Boardroom, the Phoenix veteran recognized why these questions about his leadership arise, but explains why people don’t think he is charismatic.

“I’m not as charismatic as my peers; I don’t have a personality that’s fit for TV like my peers,” KD shared. “You’ve got to sell what you’re doing as well, and I haven’t sold it enough. I don’t feel like I need to, I don’t feel like I need people to call me a leader, but I also don’t feel like I want people to say I’m not one either.”

When asked about the GOAT conversation and why he should be considered part of this debate, Kevin told his agent that he’s aware of the things he’s accomplished and is convinced he’s worthy of such mention.

“I feel like I’ve accomplished things on a court and been in situations that the greatest have seen, so I feel like I can have a conversation about basketball with the Michael Jordans or the Kobe Bryant or the LeBron James, not about bragging about how much we’ve done, but what did you see out there, and did I see the same things,” he said.