Kevin Durant just can’t stay out of the headlines these days. A few months ago, it was his alleged burner accounts, used to fire back at critics and roast strangers online.
This time, though, the story has nothing to do with basketball or social media beef, and it might just be the biggest flex of his career. Turns out, KD’s smartest move in years didn’t happen on a hardwood floor at all.
Latest Off-Court Revelation Regarding Kevin Durant
Investor and internet personality Joe Pompliano recently took to X to highlight Durant’s early investment in AI company Hugging Face alongside his longtime business partner, Rich Kleiman. According to Pompliano, the duo participated in the company’s seed and Series A funding rounds.
The development comes after Nvidia reportedly agreed to acquire Hugging Face for $12.9 billion. Pompliano said he was told Durant put $100,000 into the seed round and another $150,000 into the Series A.
Based on that reported $250,000 total investment and the acquisition valuation, Durant’s position could have generated more than $60 million in returns.
Kevin Durant and his business partner, Rich Kleiman, invested in Hugging Face’s seed & Series A fundraising rounds.
Nvidia just acquired the company for $12.9 billion, and since I’m told Durant invested $100,000 in the seed round and $150,000 in the Series A, he likely made more…
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) August 27, 2026
As word of the deal spread, reactions from across the NBA and business world poured in fast.
One of the first people to react was Anthony Pompliano, Joe Pompliano’s elder brother. He appeared particularly impressed by the reported numbers, emphasizing how Durant potentially turned a $250,000 investment into more than $60 million.
“Kevin Durant made $60 million from investing $250,000 in Hugging Face… Insane,” Anthony wrote.
Kevin Durant made $60 million from investing $250,000 in Hugging Face.
Insane https://t.co/7Ky3kGCBLQ
— Anthony Pompliano 🌪 (@APompliano) August 27, 2026
One user took a very different approach to the news, giving Durant credit for his investment instincts while questioning his impact as a teammate.
“Kevin Durant is an A+ investor, but unfortunately a C- teammate,” the user said.
Kevin Durant and his business partner, Rich Kleiman, invested in Hugging Face’s seed & Series A fundraising rounds.
Nvidia just acquired the company for $12.9 billion, and since I’m told Durant invested $100,000 in the seed round and $150,000 in the Series A, he likely made more…
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) August 27, 2026
One influencer noted that many of his reported investments came between 2016 and 2019, when Durant was taking less money to remain with the Warriors.
That point brought the conversation back to Durant’s controversial decision to sacrifice salary in Golden State. After winning the 2017 Finals MVP, Durant signed a two-year deal worth about $53 million, accepting roughly $25.9 million for 2017-18 rather than the approximately $34 million maximum available to him. The move gave the Warriors more financial flexibility to retain key players.
The influencer’s reaction therefore appeared to suggest a provocative connection between Durant’s salary decisions and his business opportunities, even framing the situation as a question of salary-cap circumvention.
“And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you legally circumvent the NBA’s salary cap… Notice how all of KD’s ‘investments opportunities’ came between 2016-2019, when he kept taking pay cuts to play with the Warriors,” the influencer said.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you legally circumvent the NBA’s salary cap
Notice how all of KD’s “investments opportunities” came between 2016-2019, when he kept taking paycuts to play with the warriors. https://t.co/pGFAPvELOS pic.twitter.com/Ev3R8m3P6h
— Basketball Examined (@Bballexamined) August 28, 2026
Another influencer touched on a familiar debate surrounding Durant’s post-Warriors career. While his individual production has remained impressive, some fans believe he has not enjoyed the same level of team success or consistency since leaving Golden State.
“making elite business decisions v picking team decisions,” the influencer said.
making elite business decisions v picking team decisions https://t.co/de8Qe40gkf
— MIKE GRIER stan account (@AndyKHLiu) August 27, 2026
For now, the reported $60 million figure should be viewed as an estimate rather than a confirmed payout, since the exact terms of Durant’s stake and the acquisition’s final structure are not public.
Still, if the estimate holds, Durant may have produced one of the most impressive athlete investment returns in recent times.
