For more than two decades now, Kevin Durant has been the subject of every interview he’s taken part in.
That was until earlier this week, when the Houston Rockets star interviewed Cade Cunningham for his Boardroom media and entertainment company.
During Durant’s weekly hit on FanDuel TV’s Up and Adams, Kay Adams asked the 2014 NBA MVP what he learned being on the other side of the microphone. And while the 37-year-old has had a notoriously up-and-down relationship with the media over the years, he did express a new appreciation for those who ask questions.
“I learned, first off, how tough it is to hold a conversation like that and continue to think of questions and expand on things that they’re saying and sometimes you’ve just gotta shut up and listen,” Durant told Adams. “So it’s a lot of nuances involved. I appreciate that dynamic where people can get the most out of somebody.
“I felt like Cade kind of relaxed out there and spoke from the heart and was genuine with what he was saying. It was fun. It was fun. It was informative too. I learned a lot about him, which was cool, some stuff he never told the rest of the basketball world. So it was fun.”
While he hasn’t always been the biggest fan of the media, it’s not shocking that Durant would be a natural behind the mic. As an interviewee, he’s shown an ability to be honest, genuine and insightful, especially during his past longform appearances on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
Moving forward, one would expect that will be seeing plenty more Durant-led interviews for Boardroom. And with the 19-year NBA veteran closer to the end of his career than the start of it, it would hardly be a surprise to see this become his future full-time gig.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.