ESPN Radio’s Michael Kay Brands Kevin Durant as ‘Not That Tough’ After Bodyguard Interrupts Skirmish On NBA Court

Thursday night’s Milwaukee Bucks-Brooklyn Nets playoff game was a basketball throwback. With a final score of 86-83, Milwaukee’s victory over Brooklyn featured decent defense and brutal shooting.

One aspect of the game that wasn’t reminiscent of past NBA eras, was a star player having their bodyguard run onto the court when the trash talk got too hot.

During a confrontation between Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant and the Bucks’ P.J. Tucker, teammates quickly intervened, preventing the altercation from advancing beyond an exchange of words. But then Tucker was bumped by what appeared to be a security guard rushing onto the court.

According to The Athletic, that person was actually Durant’s personal bodyguard, employed by the Nets. A famous athlete having a bodyguard is not an abnormality. But that person should never be interjecting themselves during a mild skirmish between professional athletes in the middle of a game.

“Now you’re telling me that security people could go break that up and the guy is Kevin Durant’s personal bodyguard?” ESPN New York radio host Michael Kay said Friday. “That is really troubling, man.”

“So if you get two superstars, then what? Two bodyguards are gonna start slugging it out in the middle of the court on national television?” asked co-host Don La Greca.

“What if they’re armed?” Kay responded. “Let’s really take it forward, what if they’re armed?”

The imagined scenario by Kay severely advances the incident beyond the reality of what happened. But a bodyguard running onto the place of play to separate two players remains shocking.

Kay suggested that the responsibility of a personal bodyguard should be to protect the player from a fan coming onto the court. During the first week of the NBA playoffs, there were numerous incidents of belligerent fans crossing boundaries with players, but continued cases have tempered.

“Any skirmish on the court, let the players handle it like men,” Kay ranted. “Kevin Durant can act like a real tough guy, [but] if there’s a skirmish on the court his bodyguard comes out there. You’re not that tough of a guy then!”

Watch above via, YES Network