Stephen A. Smith goes all Tony Soprano on Kevin Durant (VIDEO)

When Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant strongly denied a Stephen A. Smith report that he was considering a move to the Los Angeles Lakers, tensions between the two heated up over the weekend. And Smith fired back on Monday morning, telling Durant “you don’t want to make an enemy out of me.”

In a somewhat fascinating segment on ESPN First Take, Smith hijacked the desk from co-host Skip Bayless and told Durant, “You don’t want to make an enemy out of me. And I am looking right at the camera.”

pic.twitter.com/nllOb5G5Fq

— Paid Wade (@Joshmaniii) October 5, 2015

While it seemed more like a Sopranos audition tape than sports journalism, this sort of behavior has become sort of the norm for Smith — who tweeted he would he would continue later:

I will respond to @KDTrey5 on @FirstTake right now!!! Then later too, on my radio show. Like I've said repeatedly, I HIDE FROM NO-DAMN-BODY!

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) October 5, 2015

Durant responded to Smith's original story at the time: “I don’t talk to Stephen A Smith at all. Nobody in my family, my friends, they don’t talk to Stephen A Smith. So he’s lying.”

Smith specified that he never spoke to any of those people in Durant's circle.

But the habit of sports reporters becoming part of the story is getting tiresome. Although Smith did make a point to say that if he was lying in his initial report about Durant going to the Lakers, Durant should sign a long-term deal with Oklahoma City to prove him wrong, his street corner threat doesn't cut it.

Whether or not it is appropriate for journalists and professional athletes to battle in public is one thing, but Smith is in no position to tell Durant what to do with his life in order to prove a point.

Here's Smith's full rant:

Timberwolves' Corey Brewer takes leisurely stroll on his way to dunk (VIDEO)

As the first quarter of their game against Oklahoma City was winding down, Minnesota's Corey Brewer stole the ball from Kevin Durant, which started a fast break.

Even before the Timberwolves swingman took off for the dunk, Brewer shuffled his feet and then took a few more steps before making the bunny shot. The announcers counted 13 steps.

That isn't traveling, it's a stroll through the park.

Andrei Kirilenko: LeBron isn't ‘the toughest’ to guard

After 11 seasons as one of the NBA's top defenders, Andrei Kirilenko is no stranger to covering some of league's premier wing scorers.

The 6-foot-9 forward with the eight-foot wingspan is set to make his Brooklyn Nets debut Friday night in the team’s home opener against the two-time defending champion Miami Heat. When Kirilenko was asked whether LeBron James is the toughest player he has ever been asked to face, Mikhail Prokhorov's favorite Russian had a Cold War reviving answer about the Heat star.

“He’s definitely one of those guys who is tough to guard,” Kirilenko told the N.Y. Post. “I wouldn’t say he’s the toughest to guard 1-on-1, but he’s definitely in that category.”

So, if not James, then who?

“For me, personally? I would say Kevin Durant and Kobe [Bryant], because they’re very motivated to play with the ball,” Kirilenko explained. “LeBron is way unselfish, and he will pass it as soon as the guy is open.

“Kevin and Kobe, unless the guy is wide open, like wide open and ready to shoot, they will keep going at you. They’ll keep going at you. That’s why it makes it harder to play against those guys.”

Kirilenko, who has been dealing with back spasms since playing in the second preseason game against Detroit on Oct. 12, went through a complete workout Thursday during practice and said he should be ready to go Friday night at Barclays Center.

“I got the green light, so slowly we’ll start to get into games,” he said.

“I’m planning to play. I’m not sure about how many minutes I’m going to play, but I’m definitely worth a try.”

LeBron will be the first to test those minutes.

Kevin Durant shoots ping-pong balls on French television (VIDEO)

Kevin Durant is in France as part of a Nike promotional tour of Europe where he appeared on a French talk show doing some sort of stupid human tricks segment.

This French version of Jimmy Fallon had the bamboozled Oklahoma City Thunder star shoot colored ping-pong balls into a basket on top of his host's head while answering questions he was asked in French. Durant looks like he'd actually rather be jumping off the Eiffel Tower onto a giant souffle than endure the bizarre interview.

He's probably thinking, Where's Tony Parker when you need him?

Jay Z selling Nets share to head coach Jason Kidd: Report

It sounds like Jay Z is taking this whole sports agent thing pretty seriously. The entrepreneurial rapper is selling his minority ownership in the Brookyn Nets to head coach Jason Kidd, sources told Page Six of the N.Y. Post.

The sources claim Kidd will take over Jay’s .067 percent (1/15th of a percent) stake in the team for about $500,000.

The move comes as Jay was forced to sell his Nets shares over a conflict of interest after he started a sports agency, Roc Nation, signing clients including Yankee Robinson Cano and NBA star Kevin Durant.

"Other owners want to give Jason a part ownership of the team, and urged Jay to sell his shares to him," said the source.

Goodbye Brooklyn.

Page Six said:

Amazingly, Jay was introduced to the team in 2003 by Drew Katz, the son of one of the Nets’ principal owners, after Kidd, then the Nets’ marquee point guard, suggested the music mogul buy the team.

According to reports, Jay helped design the team logos and choose the Nets’ stark black-and-white color scheme, and personally appealed to National Basketball Association officials to drop their objections to it.

The Times reported Jay’s influence stretched so far, he courted top players to join the team and even counseled execs on music to play during games.

"He is it,” Bruce Ratner, the Barclays Center developer, said in an interview. “He is us. He is how people are going to see that place."

Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov bought 80 percent ownership of the team in 2009 and appeared on billboards around the city with Jay Z.

Meanwhile, Kidd, who signed on as Nets coach in June, added to an impressive lineup including Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Brook Lopez. 

Unlike Jay Z, the coach owning minority shares in the team would not be seen as a conflict of interest.

A rep for the Nets had no comment, and Kidd’s spokesman, Nets VP of public relations Gary Sussman, also declined to comment. Reps for Jay Z didn’t get back to Page Six.

Jay-Z officially certified as an NBA player agent

Jay-Z's new agency, Roc Nation Sports, has been the most talked about development in the world of representation since the rap star announced his group was partnering with CAA Sports and signed New York Yankees superstar Robinson Cano on April 1.

Now Jay-Z, himself, is now a player agent after the entertainment mogul was certified by the NBA player's association, spokesmen for the union and Roc Nation Sports said Thursday.

However, it's unclear exactly what he can do. Jay-Z would have to sell his minor share of the Brooklyn Nets before he can represent players, according to NBA rules, and a Roc Nation spokesman wouldn't comment on whether that has been done.

In less than three months, Roc nation Sports has changed the face of sports representation in the eyes of other agencies.  Jay-Z's high profile and personal relationships with many big name athletes make him a force to be reckoned with.  Many rival agencies consider the marketing mastermind "a magnet" for star athletes and fear the entrepreneur could lure away existing clients with his name alone.

Besides Cano, Roc Nation’s website listed two other star athletes last week as clients: WNBA Tulsa Shock guard Skylar Diggins and New York Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith. CAA Sports co-represents Diggins and Cano for marketing and contract work, but does not co-represent Smith.

Since signing Cano, a spokesperson for Roc Nation Sports has said that the plan was to build “a full-service agency” by hiring agents certified to represent athletes in contract work in multiple sports, as well as certifying Roc Nation executives.

It sounds like Jay-Z's first order of business as an NBA agent is signing the Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant.  Not a bad first gig on the new job.

Howard put on Kobe's uniform and mocked teammate in All-Star locker room

If you thought relations between Kobe Bryant and Lakers' teammate Dwight Howard had reached a truce during the All-Star weekend in Houston — think again.

Despite some some recent light moments between the two adversaries, sources report that Howard mocked Bryant behind his back in the locker room where he "grabbed Kobe's uniform, put it on, and imitated him in front of all the other players on the West team.  He was joking and berating Kobe" to fellow NBA stars, including Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Kevin Durant, according to Page Six of The New York Post.

Big man in a little top.

The source said Bryant later arrived in the locker room, "said hello to everyone on the team except Howard, grabbed his stuff and moved as far away from Howard as he could."

Despite a recent clear-the-air meeting in Memphis, relations between the two Lakers' stars hasn't improved .

At the All-Star Game, Bryant said, "It doesn't matter" what his team does with Howard as the trade deadline nears.  Ouch.

Neither Bryant or Howard returned calls to The Post.

May, Walsh show NBA stars how it's done on sand court

One reason people seem to like the beach volleyball events at the Olympics is because it looks like everyone can play it— some better than others.

Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and James Harden of the U.S. men's basketball team found that out the hard way after they helped warm up the American pair, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings with an impromptu game of volleyball before the duo prepared to play a late night match on Thursday.  It was no day at the beach for the men.

The three NBA stars quickly learned that jumping around on the soft sand was a little more difficult than running on the hardwood.

The two volleyball stars were looking for someone to warm up with when their basketball counterparts miraculously showed up right before their late night match.  The U.S. team has been scheduled for 11 pm (local time) starts to maximize exposure to American television.

The five American athletes played a quick two-on-three friendly on the warm-up court before the women went center stage at the main volleyball stadium.

Durant— who has said he wanted to give beach volleyball a try— did block one shot on the significantly shorter Walsh.  But it was during garbage time after the women had built up a sizable lead.

While Durant and his buddies were finding out what it is like to get spiked by two of the world's best, the women were hoping some of the men's wizardry would rub off on them.

"At first I'm like, 'Gosh we got to be focusing,'" Walsh said.  "But when you're so intense, once they're there and you're getting their energy, it's such a welcome distraction . . . They're awesome and they have magic about them and I want to take some of that magic."

"It's fun and good for the sport," said May.  "You don't see them getting in the pool with Michael Phelps, right?  They're here with us playing volleyball."

Ex-Knick Nate Robinson dodges gunfire at famed Rucker Park basketball court

Five people were shot Wednesday night at Harlem's famed Rucker Park where former-Knicks point guard Nate Robinson was among the throngs of people who dodged the flying bullets according to witnesses.

The gunfire broke out at about 11 p.m. at the courts on West 155th Street and Eighth Avenue at the annual Entertainers Basketball Classic— which features many NBA stars and local legends competing side-by-side every year.  Last summer, Kevin Durant showed up and wowed the crowds by scoring 66 points; while Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Ron Artest are some of the big names who have graced the court over the tournament's 29 year history.

Robinson— who was there as a spectator— had to scramble for cover once the chaos ensued but escaped unscathed witnesses said.

'He [Robinson] was watching the game," said the spectator.  "After the shooting, he was okay.  He wasn't hurt... he left like everyone else."

"They started arguing about a bad call or something like that," said the witness.  "The guy was standing no more than five feet away from me.  He pulled a gun out of his pocket and shot once.  He then shot one more time.  Everyone started running."

Other people said the gunman then calmly walked across the street and fired a few more rounds.

The five shooting victims were taken to local hospitals and all are expected to survive.


It's too bad when shooting hoops takes on a whole new meaning.

Kevin Durant and James Harden take Kate Upton to work

Call it the Kate Upton video you're allowed to see.  After all the controversy surrounding the Sports Illustrated cover model's banned "Cat Walk Dance"video, here she is filming Take a Supermodel to Work Day with Oklahoma Thunder players Kevin Durant and James Harden for Scullcandy NBA.

Upton annoys the two stars with stupid questions but it's still hard for them to look away.




Things change when she takes them to her workplace and they get a hold of some cameras.

LeBron Challenges Durant To Flag Football Game

After seeing Kevin Durant tossing around the pigskin in a flag football game on YouTube, LeBron James tweeted to the Oklahoma City Thunder forward that he would like to face him on a flag football field in his Ohio hometown with his own team.

According to HLN, James—who's been saying he would like to try out as an NFL tight end and had been working out with a high school team—tweeted the challenge to his friend Durant on Monday saying that he'd "like to invite him to Akron" for a game wearing the Velcro ribbons around their waists.

To which Durant responded," I'm ready.  I've got my team ready to go."

Durant was videotaped playing flag football with a group of Oklahoma State frat boys on Halloween night after he went on Twitter and asked if anyone was doing anything good that night—specifically (and oddly) flag football.

Durant ended up in a game with a group of fraternity players and about 500 fans got wind of it, showed up and plastered it all over YouTube.  The Miami Heat star was one of the thousands who saw Durant tower over the other players and make three interceptions.  That got the competitive wheels in motion.

NBA players are getting bored waiting for the lock out to end but, if the NBA's star players start playing physical sports like this for fun, the owners might budge a little to save their million dollar investments.  This game could be war.

Durant or James didn't specify who would be on their "teams," but that frat squad may end up being the luckiest flag football team in history.

NBA To Drop Two More Weeks From Season Schedule

Things are looking slimmer than Kevin Durant's arms that the start of NBA season will ever begin soon and, according to the New York Daily News, the league will cancel at least two more weeks of its season.

The New York Daily News reported that a source—familiar with the NBA's plans—said the league will make the announcement today.

The NBA Players Association has yet to be officially notified of the axed games, but it looks like the the league will be putting additional games on ice.

The NBA has already cancelled the first two weeks of the season and the expected cancellations will lop another 102 games from the 2011-12 schedule.  These cancellations will run through Nov. 28 and would include Thanksgiving.

Commissioner David Stern told a radio audience last week that if a deal was not reached between players and owners by last Tuesday, Christmas Day games could be eliminated as well.

Stern was expected to make the announcement yesterday but just returned from being out with the flu which delayed pulling the trigger.

The NBA's first cancellations of 100 games had already pushed the Nov. 1 season opener to Nov. 14.

The talks have continued to break down and both parties are miles apart on "major" system issues, but there is some optimism that—even with both sides refusing to give in right now—a deal can be attainable at the bargaining table and Christmas games could be saved—includes the Knicks-Celtics annual match-up.

According to NBA players, they want to resume bargaining but they will not give in to the owner's precondition of accepting a 50-50 revenues split.

"I will call them to see if they want to get back together," player's rep Billy Hunter told ESPN.  "But if they still say there they'll only meet if I accept their 50-50 [proposal], to me that's a nonstarter.  I can't agree to meet if I don't know what's going to happen on the other issues.  That is intolerable."

The "system" issues—which have put the talks at a standstill—include deals which involve a new harder salary cap preferred by the owners and the preservation of a softer cap by the players..

Stern claims it will take at least a month to put the new bargaining agreement in writing.  He said the extra delay would hasten free-agency deals for up to 150 players and there would be a shortened training camp and preseason.

Optimistically, Stern said the league might be able to cut the start-up date to 28 days and give teams a 68-70 game season.

The Knicks have already filled in scheduled November home date with a Jay-Z concert.