Gary Payton, Kevin Durant Engage in Massive Trash Talk During Suns vs Warriors Game

Ricardo Klein | Feb 1, 2025

Oct 26, 2018; Sacramento, CA, USA; Retired NBA player Gary Payton Sr. waves as he is acknowledged sitting court side between former Sacramento Kings players Brad Miller and majority owner Vivek Ranadive during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton Sr. is never one to back down from a challenge. That was no different when he attended the Golden State vs. Phoenix Suns game on Friday night. 

Although he was watching from the stands, that didn't stop him from freely ranting to another all-time great and future Hall of Famer, Kevin Durant. 

The two all-time greats were seen exchanging words with each other. 

“By the time you was my age you was the 8th man on the bench.”

- KD to Gary Payton

(h/t @CardsCanyon) pic.twitter.com/50ZOvmWm0d

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 1, 2025

While it may have felt personal, Payton told ESPN's Jorge Sedano that it was all in good fun after the game. 

"Just talking junk," Payton said. 

Although Payton felt that way about it, feelings weren't mutual for Durant.

Durant said he meant every word he said toward the former nine-time All-Star. 

"It's always good when I run into an older player, especially if they played in the '90s, because they feel like that's the golden years of the NBA," Durant said. "So I try to let them know, especially GP, I try to let them know what it would have been like if they'd have been on the court with me. They tend to talk down on the mentality of our era's players.

"G's a great sport about it -- one of my favorite players, somebody I look up to, got major respect for. I think we started in the summer with Team USA. We were all in the same room with Team USA, and the first thing I said to him was that he couldn't guard me. 'You're too small. Them dudes that played back in the day wasn't close to me.' I was just talking crazy to him, so I guess we picked it up from there."

Durant has a history of talking trash to people, whether they are on the stands or on social media. He's never passed an opportunity to talk trash to fellow NBA stars, which was the case on Friday. 

"If I needed to show him that minute of basketball to let him know what I've been doing out here ... I've got 18 years of footage," Durant said with a smile. "That minute ain't do much. He knew that was coming."

Payton is arguably the best player in the history of the NBA to talk trash. Not only that, but he backed it up with his play. Payton is a one-time NBA champion, nine-time All-NBA member, 1996 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and a member of the 75th Anniversary team alongside Durant. 

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