Kevin Durant made one thing unmistakably clear this week: there is only one king of NBA breaking news, and it’s not him. Appearing on the Up & Adams show with host Kay Adams, Durant joked about his brief flirtation with delivering news updates but drew a sharp line when it came to competing with ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania.
Kevin Durant Has High Praise for Shams Charania
The exchange unfolded when Adams brought up Shams’ screen time and joked that “breaking news is addictive.” Durant responded with a laugh, countering:
“I wouldn’t say breaking news is addictive. Having conversations with NBA players is probably the most addicting thing for me.”
“I’ve seen Shams’ screen time, I don’t think I want that type of action.”
Don’t worry @ShamsCharania, your job is safe from KD 🤣@KDTrey5 | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/OkCQ5UGbT0
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) November 21, 2025
When Adams jokingly asked how worried Shams should be, Durant didn’t hesitate. “He shouldn’t be worried at all. Shams is the greatest of all time. I can’t compete with that. Nobody can. I’ve seen Shams’ screen time, I don’t think I want that type of action.”
Charania has become a trusted insider voice in the NBA circle. He took over as ESPN’s lead NBA news-breaker in October 2024, filling the massive void left after Adrian Wojnarowski retired from journalism.
Since then, Shams has directed the network’s reporting across NBA Today, SportsCenter and The Pat McAfee Show, while anchoring nightly coverage and digital reporting.
He has long been closely tied to Durant’s career, from contract moves to major trade negotiations. That history adds extra weight to KD’s comments, which served as both admiration and acknowledgment of the grind behind Shams’s rapid-fire reporting.
Durant Settles Into His Role With the Rockets
Away from the mic and back on the court, Durant has been everything the Houston Rockets hoped for when they aggressively pushed to acquire him this offseason.
The 15-time All-Star is averaging 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists through 13 games — numbers solid enough on their own but even more valuable given the Rockets’ need for stability after losing starting point guard Fred VanVleet.
Teammates have felt the impact immediately. As reported by Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko, young guard JDJD Davison described being around Durant as surreal.
“Just being in the same gym with him, same practice and being beside him, I’m in awe,” he told Iko. “He’s the ultimate vet, the ultimate brother.”
The Rockets, now 10-3 and sitting third in the West, are benefiting from Durant’s steadiness as much as his scoring. His voice has carried weight inside the locker room, and his work ethic — still full speed at age 37 — has set a tone for a young roster trying to grow into a contender.
