In 2017, Kevin Durant told GQ’s Zach Baron how Rihanna heckled him during Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Then he realized it was the pop sensation and LeBron James superfan Rihanna herself. He also mentioned how the interest of celebrities in his games shifted once he switched from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Golden State Warriors.
He stated, “Rihanna never came to my game before unless we were in L.A. She didn’t come to a home game of mine before.” He compared his situation to Will Smith’s famous movie Hancock. Durant expressed, “Jay-Z and all these people who come…that amount of attention for me is like, you ever seen Hancock? You remember when he had to walk into that event and all these cameras were flashing, and he just didn’t know how to smile?”
This narrative showcases the difference in the market value of Oklahoma City and Golden State. The latter’s valuation grew when Stephen Curry wave broke all the precedents. Despite Durant being an MVP with the Thunder in 2014 and having won four scoring titles, the craze around Oklahoma City wasn’t the same. Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers had also grown a solid rivalry by then. The Durant-LeBron showoff had just added to the intrigue.
The feeling of Hancock can also be driven from the fact of how much hate he got in Oklahoma City after he left. Hancock was also a hated character but then he eventually used his superpowers to elevate the status of the city and also elevated his character. Similarly, after many NBA fans portrayed him as a snake, winning two straight Finals MVP made him a hero for the Warriors fandom.
Because of that, the star power and the Dubs’ fandom energy would prove to be a tad overwhelming for KD. Before coming to the Warriors, he had already established himself as one of the top players. Despite that, going to the Bay Area made him realize the scope of his achievements has magnified to an unprecedented level.
He also felt overwhelmed because his rise turned millions of eyes towards him. As he states, “I can remember me cooking up as a kid by myself. Now millions of people are watching me play? That’s an adjustment, bro.”
Kevin Durant shut down Rihanna but she continued fanning over LeBron James
Despite Rihanna’s constant heckling, Durant and his Warriors defeated the Cavs 113:91. Durant notched 38 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists during the win. He shot an excellent 53.8% from the floor and made half of his three-point attempts. He made the key shots and showcased his prowess on the biggest stage. James delivered a monster 28 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists performance but it wasn’t enough against a red-hot Durantala. The 2x Finals MVP had delivered a strong answer to Rihanna.
However, this didn’t silence her. The pop star was still in awe of her favorite NBA superstar. Talking to the press after the game, Queen RiRi famously exclaimed, “The King is still the King, B*tch!”
