Team USA star Kevin Durant argues against NBA adopting more FIBA rules

As it is well known by now, Kevin Durant isn’t afraid to speak his mind, and even more incredible, he’s always willing to engage in debates with fans about the basketball world. The veteran is currently representing Team USA in the Olympic Games in Paris, and has been adapting to the FIBA rules during the competition. 

In a recent exchange with a fan on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Suns star argued against the NBA adopting more changes from the international rule book. It all started when an account posted the following: “Please @NBA adopt more @FIBA rules and let us see the best really think the game and play the game like it’s meant to be played.”

The Phoenix forward then appeared out of the blue and asked the Twitter user to be specific on what adaptations he’d like to witness in the NBA. “I swear yall just be yappin. What rules u wanna see man?” he questioned the fan.

Kevin Durant Hilariously Goes Back And Forth With Fans Over FIBA Ruleshttps://t.co/3UWbemnbyk

— CashOnBank (@CashOnBank) July 30, 2024

“I want to see the 3 seconds back and that’s it…. you disagree? More movement less ISO / Quicker Decisions – keep 3s the same as NBA – Can’t knock off the rim (that’s dumb)”, the account wrote, to what KD responded: “If u want to eliminate defensive 3 seconds then the games will be slower.”

The fan reacted by saying he doesn’t disagree with Durant’s assessment, but mentioned that “more schemes & quicker decisions offensively not as much holding NBA is fine man lol it’s the best product in the world with the best players PERIOD – would love to see it … i’m watching yall do it now.”

The future Hall of Famer then took a more romantic view on the game. “The beauty of basketball is not callin all them sets but playing off instincts and lettin the talent dictate the game..gettin out in transition, driving and kicking, playing random basketball. U want a trick play every possession like it’s football. That’s not why our game is beautiful,” he wrote.

Both the fan and the superstar kept at it to all the world to see, but ended up as a healthy exchange about the future of an ever-transforming sport that is played very differently in the United States, in comparison to the rest of the world.

Team USA teammate Steph Curry Compares The Olympic Game With The NBA: ‘It’s Like Playoff Basketball’

While Team USA has only enjoyed their star-packed roster for a month and is still adjusting to international play, they have won every single game they’ve faced including their Olympics opener against Serbia on Sunday. Even though some of the players in the squad are new to the FIBA rules, they see some similarities with the NBA competition.

One of them is Stephen Curry, who is currently playing his first-ever Olympic Games, and mentioned the challenges his team is facing. According to the Warriors icon, the tournament is a lot like being in the NBA’s postseason.

“It’s like playoff basketball. Different dimensions on the court, shorter time frame, 48 to 40 minutes, physical brand of basketball,” the veteran noted. “But the biggest adjustment for us is to put all our different skill sets together on the fly. Like if this team had a full year of training and chemistry and all that, we wouldn’t be talking about the adjustment that much.”

On the other hand, Steve Kerr is in his second-consecutive summer coaching Team USA for international competitions and explained the difficulties of leading a team with so many stars. “That’s the job, right? We’ve got 12 All-Stars if not All-Stars, world-class players and champions,” he expressed.