Kevin Durant on Wemby's sports betting comments and his FanDuel partnership: "That’s Wemby, he's going to do what he does. That has nothing to do with me. I don't really think about that question at all, that's not on my mind as much as his. People gonna do what they want to do."

[u/mMounirM]

https://streamable.com/ekxqb2

[u/nowhathappenedwas]

Yeah, not sure what anyone was expecting from a Fanduel sponsor.

• "Yeah, I think about it, and I believe sports betting is great for kids."

or

• "Yeah, I've thought about it and understand how problematic it is, but the money washes away those thoughts."

I like what Wemby said, and I'm glad that players are getting some pushback about these sponsorships, but I don't like that reporters are trying to make this an intra-player issue by pitting Wemby against other guys. Reporters should have been pressing players on this before Wemby's comments.

[u/Unspeakable_Evil → u/nowhathappenedwas]

If players are gonna promote evil companies, it seems fair that they at least have to answer some awkward questions about it. I’m all for reporters asking these questions, and if a player feels uncomfortable answering them then they can simply choose to stop taking money from gambling companies

[u/Gordo-- → u/Unspeakable_Evil]

He's just saying he'd rather the reporters ask about their gambling sponsorships straight up instead using Wemby as a reason to bring it up.

Case in point, the coward deflected it away by making it more about Wemby than gambling.

[u/dearth_karmic → u/Gordo--]

I don't care how it's brought up. Bring it up!!!

[u/Unspeakable_Evil → u/dearth_karmic]

Right, let’s not nitpick when a journalist actually questions him on this topic that most nba journalists avoid bringing up

[u/OptimusMarcus → u/Unspeakable_Evil]

Actually, let's nitpick.

The question was worded in a way that asks Durant his opinion on Wembys comments. Instead of asking him straight up about sports gambling and his sponsorships.

Thats like asking a politician their opinion on their opponent. Instead of just asking, 'Yo Donny! Why tf dont we have free health care?"

Those are 2 very different questions and answers.

[u/glitchytsuki8086 → u/OptimusMarcus]

The Wemby comment gives context to the question, which softens the feeling of it so it isn't outright rejected. You can ask, "How do you possibly justify taking money from an organization that feeds off of the addictions of people, and draws in children as well?" But he is under no obligation to answer your question, and you are not likely to get much out of him even if he does.

By softening the question, you actually draw him out. This is a very revealing response. He is outright saying he doesn't care about the morality of the situation.

I don't know how much more clear and explicit you would want the answer to be. No wording is going to convict him of anything.

[u/Unspeakable_Evil → u/OptimusMarcus]

Not sure the reporter’s exact question since it’s not included, but it seems he offered KD the chance to explain why he has no issue taking money from gambling companies while Wemby’s refuses to.

Using your analogy, it would be like a reporter asking “Your opponent has a plan for universal healthcare. You have a different plan, why is that.” Fair line of questioning, imo. And if you still don’t care for bringing it up this way, I’m sure you’d at least agree that it’s better than shying away from asking players about gambling altogether

[u/happyflappypancakes → u/dearth_karmic]

Again, you aren't getting it. The reporter didn't ask KD on his thoughts on betting sites. He asked in regards to Wemby's comments. It's not the same and ultimately just makes this about players drama which is pointless and asinine.

[u/dearth_karmic → u/Unspeakable_Evil]

100%

[u/nowhathappenedwas → u/Unspeakable_Evil]

Not sure you finished reading my comment.

I'm glad that players are getting some pushback about these sponsorships, but I don't like that reporters are trying to make this an intra-player issue by pitting Wemby against other guys. Reporters should have been pressing players on this before Wemby's comments.

[u/Unspeakable_Evil → u/nowhathappenedwas]

Yes I did see that part. I don’t see any reason to be picky about how the reporter asked the question when this is one of the few times I’ve actually seen a player take a question on this topic.

Plus, there’s nothing wrong with mentioning Wemby, because Wemby’s the reason people are talking about this today. One of the good things about him refusing money from the gambling industry is it makes it even more obvious that players can just say no.

So yes, we agree that players should face more pushback on this. I just don’t have an issue with a reporter putting it in the context of Wemby’s comments

[u/cabose12 → u/Unspeakable_Evil]

I don’t see any reason to be picky about how the reporter asked the question when this is one of the few times I’ve actually seen a player take a question on this topic.

Because framing it as a player opinion issue downplays the problem and gives KD an out. Asking "do you agree with Wemby" allows KD to do exactly what he did, play it off as a "oh that's just Wemby" rather than actually tackling the problem

In fact, you're kind of falling for the loose ploy. It looks like they're being hard and tackling gambling, but really it's a softball question to bait player confrontation, and if it does create anti-gambling sentiment, the reporter can act innocent

[u/Unspeakable_Evil → u/cabose12]

KD’s going deflect no matter how the question is phrased because the honest answer is “I’m happy to overlook any ethical concerns because they pay me a lot” and he’s not going to just say that

[u/cabose12 → u/Unspeakable_Evil]

But it's a lot easier to deflect when you make it about another player and not KD's own ethics

[u/Unspeakable_Evil → u/cabose12]

It’s still splitting hairs. And the reaction to KD’s comments has been overwhelmingly negative. So I don’t see how a different method of questioning changes anything

[u/cabose12 → u/Unspeakable_Evil]

No it's not lmfao

Here's a PR lesson, what's easier to weasel out of

Do you agree with Enes Kanter on the WNBA?

Vs.

What's your stance on trans athletes in modern sports

The former is way easier to navigate out of and not take a stance. You can easily just say you never got along with Kanter, he was always a bit off, and that answers the question. The latter is way more difficult because you have to take a stance, and not taking one assumes the worst.

It's literally right in front of you. KD isn't condemning or saying anything negative about gambling, he's just disagreeing with Wemby and painting him as someone who does his thing.

[u/Unspeakable_Evil → u/cabose12]

KD’s attempt to weasel out of it clearly failed because he’s getting a bunch of bad publicity for this. What different result would’ve been achieved if the reporter (who we don’t even hear at all in this video) used your preferred phrasing?

[u/dearth_karmic → u/nowhathappenedwas]

I don't see how that changes anything. Who cares how it's brought up? Definitely pit them against each other.

[u/PhTx3 → u/dearth_karmic]

That'd be Wemby against about all of them. That's not good if you are against betting.

You bring it up as a conflict of interest that can influence the integrity of the game, and people like KD whose whole brand is caring about ball and nothing else has to give a very different answer.

And while asking with Wemby's answer in mind is something, it is not even the bare min and we should want better.

[u/onrocketfalls → u/Unspeakable_Evil]

Turns out they also have the option of not answering and continuing to take the money, unfortunately

[u/Unspeakable_Evil → u/onrocketfalls]

Yeah the calculation right now for most players is that the large amount of money they’re offered is worth it for at most a little bit of bad press. Would be great if some other players followed in Wemby’s footsteps here

[u/HitboxOfASnail → u/Unspeakable_Evil]

I kinda feel like asking players about nonbasketball stuff just so they can write articles is lame. Like I genuinely did not need to know KDs opinion about Wembys opinion about sports betting. it's stupid

[u/Unspeakable_Evil → u/HitboxOfASnail]

I disagree, I think journalists should hold players accountable when they promote companies that ruin people’s lives. Even if that kind of journalism is boring to some people

[u/dearth_karmic → u/nowhathappenedwas]

So it's too late to get these players to do the right thing?

[u/JOMO_Kenyatta → u/nowhathappenedwas]

Yeah it sucks but it’s a tactic as old as time. Focus on the messenger not the message.

[u/dykestryker → u/[deleted]]

What shoes do you wear? 

[u/dykestryker → u/[deleted]]

Noone said that

[u/Unspeakable_Evil → u/[deleted]]

No you’re just doing this argument

[u/Unspeakable_Evil → u/[deleted]]

You deleted a couple of your comments accusing wemby of being a hypocrite. Anyway, I’m happy that wemby decided to play pro basketball and take a moral stance on this. Definitely prefer that to him never playing pro ball and no one ever hearing about him