Kevin Durant Challenges Fat Joe’s Rucker Park Claims

kevin durant
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 26: Kevin Durant attends “NYC Point Gods” premiere at Midnight Theatre on July 26, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Fat Joe recently recounted a dramatic scene at Rucker Park involving NBA star Kevin Durant, claiming Durant was nearly chased out of the court after a remarkable performance during a pickup game.

Speaking on the Roomates Show podcast hosted by Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, Fat Joe vividly described Durant’s dominance: “Kevin Durant scored like 82 points in the third quarter. He don’t like me telling this story… They chased him out the Rucker, like they wanted to beat him up.”

According to Fat Joe, Durant’s performance was akin to a spectacle, hitting impressive shots from all over the court despite facing aggressive defense: “He was doing almost like the Caitlin Clark show. Woosh! Do a three, from the other side of the court — not half court.”

Kevin Durant, however, swiftly refuted Fat Joe’s narrative, dismissing it as untrue. Durant took to X to respond: “Another podcast lie. It was nothing but respect and love out there that night, didn’t feel unsafe for one second.”

Despite this, Fat Joe stood by his account, asserting, “I was there he knows I’m not lying… 62 points in 3 quarters why was the game stopped it’s all love all i did was big him up ‘GREATEST STORY TELLER IN THE GAME.’”

Durant’s Rucker Park appearance occurred during the NBA lockout season in 2011, where he notably scored 66 points in a game. Despite the conflicting narratives, Durant expressed joy and admiration for the experience, tweeting afterward, “No lie, jus had one of the best times of my life at Rucker park..wow! I love NY…Harlem waddup.”

Additional insights from players involved in the game paint a picture of intense competition and excitement, with former Seton Hall player Jeremy Hazell reflecting on Durant’s ability to heat up the court with his scoring prowess:

“At halftime we were like, ‘We got to press him, because if we don’t, he is going to heat up.’ That’s what he did. He heated up. It was just a great game, a great atmosphere.”