Kevin Durant showed up at the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia on Wednesday and immediately started talking about the one thing nobody can ignore in that city: the fans.
The Rockets forward was at Citizens Bank Park to watch the midseason classic, catching batting practice and meeting White Sox infielder Munetaka Murakami and Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana. But when NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark asked Durant about the crowd in Philly, he didn’t hold back.
“Philly fans, they got the most passion,” Durant said. “It’s up there. I think everybody on the East Coast is pretty passionate — from New York, Boston, Philly, usually those three have the most radical fans when it comes to being loud in the ballpark or in the arena.”
He called them “dangerous” in the same clip, which made the rounds online fast. The two-time Finals MVP has gone through some serious battles with the Sixers over the years, and he admitted the back-and-forth with fans is part of the fun.
“It’s all in good fun. It’s respect when they start talking to you,” Durant said. “That means they respect you, you know. They fear you a little bit. You can hear it in their voice, the ones who respect you and the ones who just don’t respect you.”
Durant flew to the East Coast ahead of Fanatics Fest in New York, which starts Thursday and runs through the weekend. He’s an avid baseball guy — grew up rooting for the Nationals, still tracks the White Sox closely — so catching the All-Star Game was a natural stop.
But the real storyline here is Durant giving Philly fans their flowers. This is a city that’s used to being called hostile or even toxic by visiting players. Hearing a superstar say the hostility is actually a form of respect? That’s rare air.
And honestly, it tracks. Durant has always been the type of player who leans into the crowd noise. He’s clapped back at hecklers mid-game. He’s talked smack from the bench during playoff series. He understands the dynamic better than most.
Whether or not Philly fans return the favor next time Durant plays at the Wells Fargo Center is another story. But for one night, at a baseball game, everybody was on the same page.
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