Klay Thompson hits back at Kevin Durant over 'never an MVP candidate' dig
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Klay Thompson hits back at Kevin Durant over 'never an MVP candidate' dig originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson spent three seasons together with the Golden State Warriors and won two rings. That memorable history didn't stop Durant from breaking down his old teammate's resume this week during an intense online debate.
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The discussion started under an Instagram post debating whether the newly formed 2026-27 Philadelphia 76ers roster after LeBron James' signing looks better on paper than the historic 2016-17 Warriors dynasty. Commenting from his verified account, @easymoneysniper, Durant argued the comparison "ain't close" on paper.
To prove his point, the Houston Rockets guard listed the accolades of the opposing star lineup, highlighting Joel Embiid's MVP status, Jaylen Brown's Finals MVP run, Tyrese Maxey's three-year All-Star streak, and adding, "we all know what bron does."
He then contrasted those heavy accolades against his old Golden State squad's individual stats, noting, “Klay Thompson, never an MVP candidate in nothing" despite averaging 22 points.
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He added, "Draymond, 14ppg 7 rebounds 6 assist, Steph a mvp just like Joel was. I don't get how the Warriors team is better on paper."
Thompson saw the comment and fired back on his Instagram story by tagging Durant directly. "Aye man u good?" he wrote. "What u using my full government for??" In NBA circles, using a player's full name instead of a nickname is often seen as a subtle jab, and Thompson treated it as a slight.
The two have a long history. Durant joined the Warriors in 2016 after their 73-win season, helping Golden State win consecutive titles in 2017 and 2018. During that first championship run, Thompson averaged a career-high 22.3 points per game alongside Durant.
Their relationship has remained mostly friendly since then. KD even called Thompson "a Bay Area God" when Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks in 2024.
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