Kevin Durant was fined by the National Basketball Association on Friday over social media messages he exchanged with comic-actor Michael Rapaport. The fine total was $50,000, according to the league.
Durant was fined for using “offensive and derogatory language,” according to a statement from the league, which noted the NBA star “acknowledged that his actions were inappropriate.”
Durant on Thursday addressed the messages he is accused of sending to Rapaport, which reportedly included threatening language and anti-gay and misogynistic slurs after the actor mocked him over social media.
“I’m sorry that people seen that language I used,” Durant told reporters. “That’s not really what I want people to see and hear from me, but hopefully I can move past it and get back out there on the floor.”
Brooklyn Nets’ coach Steve Nash told reporters that the organization had a conversation with Durant about the language used in the exchange with Rapaport.
Durant has been sidelined since injuring his hamstring in February.
Rapaport has appeared in several films including Cop Land, The Basketball Diaries, and True Romance, along with appearing in several TV shows, such as Prison Break, The Simpsons, The Big Bang Theory and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, among more.
Rapaport, via a video posted on social media after the fine news broke, said the situation “had gotten out of hand.” He added that he and Durant had previously met but were not friends, and he was bothered by what he felt were threats.
“You live and learn,” Rapaport said. “I know I have lived and learned from this situation. And I’ve had to deal with the ramifications that I’ll keep to myself, and I know he has. And I feel bad about it. But it is what it is, and we have to move forward.”
The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/nc2OZtl7VP
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 2, 2021
5 p.m.: Updated with a new statement from Rapaport.
