Kevin Durant says everyone in the NBA smokes marijuana: ‘It doesn’t affect you in any negative way’

After the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was signed by both players and the league officials, the NBA has pulled out marijuana from its list of banned substances. One of the happiest about it, who recently revealed he helped advocate for this action, is Phoenix superstar Kevin Durant.

The veteran recently went on an interview with CNBC’s Game Plan conference and said he once met with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to try and convince him to drop the ban on the plant.

"I actually called [Adam Silver] and advocated for him to take marijuana off the banned substances list… It's the NBA, everybody does it. It's like wine."

Kevin Durant on the NBA lifting its ban on marijuana.

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“I actually called him and advocated for him to take marijuana off the banned substance list,” he confessed. “I just thought it was becoming a thing around the country and around the world, and that the stigma behind it wasn’t as negative as it was before. It doesn’t affect you in any negative way. I just felt like it was [time].”

According to Durant, who has always been open about his marijuana consumption, most athletes in the league smoke. “It’s the NBA. Everybody does it, to be honest. It’s like wine at this point,” he said. “I just enjoy the plant, as simple as that.”

When asked about how the meeting unfolded between him and the league commissioner, the future Hall of Famer revealed that he had smoked before they met and was as honest as possible so they wouldn’t waste any time.

“He smelled it when I walked in. I didn’t really have to say much. He kind of understood where this was going,” the athlete laughed.

How does the NBA’s decision fare with the way that other US sports have dealt with the drug?

The NBA has commonly performed random tests on players to prevent the use of drugs that could enhance their displays on court. Up to this summer, the list used to contain marijuana, but ever since the 2020 bubble, the league stopped testing for the plant.

The new Collective Bargaining Agreement considers that the negative effects from marijuana are minimal, as the NBA is taking important step toward raising awareness. Nowadays, many states allow the use of the drug, both recreationally as well as prescribed medically.

Take a look at what the ESPN panel thinks of Kevin Durant’s stance on marijuana usage in the league:

When compared to other US sports, the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement changed their policy on marijuana back in the 2020/21 campaign, permitting athletes to use the plant during the offseason but still limiting the use during competitions.

As for the MLB, since 2019 they’ve removed marijuana from its banned substances list, but only allowing players to use the drug in their off time. Nevertheless, they can still be punished if they are caught under the influence during matches, practice, meetings and workouts.