“Bad take”: Kevin Durant doesn’t hold back after Kendrick Perkins’ shocking racism comparison to Bill Russell’s era

Decades ago, Bill Russell was more than just an NBA superstar. He was also a civil rights activist and someone who openly criticized his own fans’ racist behavior. Some might say that Russell’s work off the court was even more important than what he did on the hardwood, being a pioneer among black athletes.

However, as impactful as he was in that regard, former NBA player Kendrick Perkins believes today’s players also face similar backlash citing negative impact of social media. Talking on the “Road Trippin” podcast, he shared a rather controversial take.

“I will say everyone’s had their own form of adversity,” Perkins said. “Back then, it was racism and death threats, right? But having to battle through the adversity of f***ing social media as a player elevates right up into there when you talk about mental toughness.”

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Perkins added that he didn't necessarily think both eras dealt with the same type of issues, but today's players also have to deal with plenty of hatred. He added:

“I'm not trying to put the two together. All I'm saying is this day and age, a lot of these guys are dealing with their own form of adversity, right?”

That didn't sit well with Kevin Durant, who didn't hesitate to clap back at his former teammate on X.

"Bad take," Durant responded.

Alperen Sengun doesn't care about Kevin Durant's age

Kevin Durant made the rounds earlier in the offseason for his big trade to the Houston Rockets. And while he's not getting any younger and hasn't been to the NBA Finals in years, Alperen Sengun still thinks he's just what they need to get over the hump.

“I’m excited to play with Durant," Sengun told the Anadolu Agency. "Everyone is excited to play with him. It doesn’t matter his age. Ultimately, he’s Kevin Durant. I have no doubt Durant will bring a lot to the team.”

The Rockets are one of the odds-on favorites to come out of the Western Conference. They were already an elite defensive team, and adding one of the greatest pure scorers the game has ever seen will only make them a much bigger threat next season and beyond.

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About the author

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto Cova is a journalist at Sportskeeda with a PhD in Sports Psychology. His education helped him develop a clearer understanding of the sports world as a whole, including basketball. Ernesto has over eight years of experience in the field, working for Fadeaway World, The Inquisitr, NBA Blast, The Cold Wire and Bolavip, among others.

His favorite team is the Chicago Bulls because of the Michael Jordan era. Jordan is Ernesto's all-time favorite, as he changed the game forever. Ernesto's second favorite was Kobe Bryant because he embodied that same competitive fire and Ernesto watched him play throughout his entire career. Nowadays, Ernesto really likes Stephen Curry, who he believes to be the most influential player of the past 15 years or so.

Ernesto's favorite basketball moment was when Venezuela -- his country -- took down Canada to take home the 2015 FIBA Americas Cup.

When not watching or writing about basketball, Ernesto likes to read and is interested in photography.

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