ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith to Kevin Durant: ‘You do not want to make an enemy out of me’

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith looked directly into the “First Take” cameras Monday morning and hissed these words: “You do not want to make an enemy out of me.”

He was dead serious. Of course, very few people took him that way. Folks all over social media, including singer Josh Groban, have since stated that their one goal in life now is to make an enemy of Stephen A. Smith.

It probably doesn’t matter to Smith. His message was really directed toward one person, Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant.

Last week Smith reported that his sources told him that Durant’s preferred free agency destination, if he doesn’t re-sign with the Thunder, would be the Lakers.

Durant told Anthony Slater of the Oklahoman on Friday: “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. ... I have people who I talk to about everything and I know for a fact they didn’t talk to him, so he’s making up stories.”

Smith responded on Twitter later that day. “At NO time did I ever say I SPOKE to K.D. Or his family. Or his brother, friends, teammates, etc. (although I can assure you all I have on several occasions in the past),” Smith wrote. “I said I HEARD from folks I know -- in a league I’ve been covering for 19 years -- that if he were to leave OKC as a free agent, these are the cities I was told he was considering. OKC. LA. Miami. DC. NY. I stand by it all. And that is that.

“His assertion that I was lying is not only FALSE, but totally uncalled for.”

Smith wasn’t finished. He spoke at length on the topic, making clear that he has the utmost respect and love for Durant.

“But I will say this lastly: You don’t want to make an enemy out of me,” Smith said stonefaced with carefully chosen pauses for effect. “And I’m looking right into the camera and I’m going to say it again: You do not want to make an enemy out of me. I’m not having it. I’ve done nothing wrong and I’m not going to tolerate it.”