Stephen A. Smith has claimed a video circulating on social media which shows him ‘cussing out’ NBA star Kevin Durant is actually an AI-generated spoof.
The ESPN host and political commentator took to X on Thursday after being left furious over the viral clip, which he slammed as ‘complete fabrication’ and a ‘lie’.
It is unclear exactly what was said in the video, but Smith bemoaned its use of ‘profanity’ while vehemently denying that he had anything to do with it.
‘We are living in dangerous times,’ he wrote. ‘There is some b.s. floating around on Instagram with me talking about @KDTrey5 — using profanity, cussing him out, etc.
‘For the record, that is a LIE. It is A.I Generated or something. I just letting everyone know ahead of time…..THAT WAS NOT ME! No truth to it. Just so everyone knows. Complete Fabrication. Have a nice day’.
Smith has gone back and forth with Durant frequently over the past six months, with the Phoenix Suns power forward calling him a ‘clown’ as recently as November.
Stephen A. Smith has taken to social media to fume he is the victim of an AI-generated spoof
Smith says the ‘fabricated’ video in question shows him ‘cussing out’ NBA star Kevin Durant
We are living in dangerous times. There is some b.s. floating around on Instagram with me talking about @KDTrey5 — using profanity, cussing him out, etc. For the record, that is a LIE. It is A.I Generated or something. I just letting everyone know ahead of time…..THAT WAS NOT…
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 3, 2025 Read More Stephen A. Smith forced into humiliating U-turn over ‘shameless’ LeBron James mistake 
In response, the sports media personality said: ‘It’s unfortunate that no matter how old he gets, his sensitivity seems to heighten with it and his maturity doesn’t. But that’s something he has to live with.’
Durant is not the only NBA player Smith has found himself in a feud with of late, nevertheless.
Last month basketball icon LeBron James confronted the First Take star at courtside for criticizing his son Bronny, with footage of their encounter quickly going viral online.
Smith later blasted James for his ‘weak’ decision to approach him publicly rather than in private, before the LA Lakers star responded: ‘If there was one person that couldn’t wait for the video to drop, it was your a**. Seriously?’
Earlier this week Smith also took aim at Dwayne Wade, fuming that he is ‘sick and tired’ of the NBA icon ‘diminishing’ his own career after he claimed he was not in the truly elite echelons of the league.
