Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant avoided directly denying allegations that he operates a burner account on X, formerly Twitter, that reportedly criticized teammates in private messages, calling the matter “Twitter nonsense” during a post-practice interview Wednesday.
“I know you guys have to ask these questions, but I’m not here to get into Twitter nonsense,” Durant said. “I’m here to focus on the season and keep pushing. My teammates know what it is. We’ve been locked in the whole season.”
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An in-depth breakdown of every KD burner tweet we know of. Every name mentioned,…
— David Chabot (@Dav1dChabot) February 17, 2026
The allegations surfaced over the weekend when screenshots from a private group chat on X circulated online, showing messages from an account with the handle @gethigher77 disparaging Rockets players including center Alperen Şengün and forward Jabari Smith Jr. The account, which is now private, has not been verified as belonging to Durant, but speculation grew due to his history with anonymous social media profiles.
Durant, 37, has previously admitted to using burner accounts. In 2017, while with the Golden State Warriors, he accidentally tweeted from his main account while intending to use a secondary one to defend himself against critics. In 2019, he told ESPN that he maintained such accounts to interact privately with friends, saying, “I wanted a place where I could talk to my friends without anybody just butting in my conversations.” In 2020, he confirmed on a podcast that he still used them, noting he had “slipped up that one time.“
“I’m not here to get into Twitter Nonsense” pic.twitter.com/R65OrFAdlo
— Onyx (@OnyxOdds) February 18, 2026
The latest controversy comes amid Durant’s first season with the Rockets after being traded from the Phoenix Suns in the offseason. The team, currently holding a playoff spot in the Western Conference, has emphasized internal focus amid the distraction. Neither the Rockets nor Durant’s representatives immediately responded to requests for further comment.
Social media reactions poured in quickly, with many users pointing out Durant’s non-denial as evidence. On X, user @StockTalks21 posted, “Yeah so. That was DEFINITELY Kevin Durant’s burner 💀.” Another, @pokerszn, wrote, “When a superstar like Kevin Durant calls it nonsense while the burner issue follows him for years, it shows that in the social media era reputation damage does not disappear with silence because perception now shapes legacy as much as performance.”
Skeptics also chimed in. On Facebook, one commenter said, “Y’all know Damm well KD ain’t doing all that,” while another quipped, “He in his real account when he’s not high and burner account when high and telling the truth.” Instagram users echoed similar sentiments under a clip of Durant’s response: “definitely him lol,” “he didn’t deny it😭,” and “Notice how he didn’t say it was fake tho😂😂.”
Some expressed concern for team dynamics. X user @PensareBBall posted a video clip noting, “Jabari Smith Jr is the real casualty of these Kevin Durant burner leaks. Damn. Rockets team chemistry -60 points right now.”
Streamer Neon, who claims to have spoken directly with Durant, denied the allegations on a live stream, saying the two-time NBA champion told him, “That’s not him” and “He would never do some s— like that.” Podcaster Joe Budden also weighed in, stating he doesn’t believe the story.
The incident recalls Durant’s ongoing complicated relationship with social media, where he has been both an active participant and a target of scrutiny. As the Rockets prepare for their next game, the focus remains on whether this off-court drama will impact on-court performance.
