If you didn't know, snake has become a shorthand of sorts that's meant to convey equalĀ parts snitch, punk, or a liar; It's used to call outĀ someone who says one thing, then turns around and does the opposite.Ā More to the point, aĀ snake is aĀ scoundrel.Ā Kevin DurantĀ certainly knows the meaning. When KD decided to change employers in the summer of 2016, it stuck to him. When a snake was recently shown on Instagram, Durant took the opportunity to have some fun with the pejorative.
This isn't the first time the Warrior has attempted to make light of the moniker. Who can forget the not-so-subtle tee he rocked after winning his first title:
He also famously mentioned on First We Feast's Hot Ones that he'd pondered getting a snake tattoo in an homage to his haters.
"I get the snake comment so many times, I might just tattoo one of those on my arm," Durant said. He certainly called attention to the insult withĀ the snake colorway for his KD line of kicks:Ā
DurantĀ even usedĀ the word to insult C.J. McCollum when the pair lightheartedlyĀ bickered about how unfair the Warriors were during aĀ podcast.
But the two-time Finals MVP isn't the first NBA playerĀ to use the word this way. Matt Barnes labeledĀ Derek Fisher a snake when they tussled over his ex-wife.
And multiple players subtweeted former coach George Karl while he was touring for a book in whichĀ he attacks his former playersāincluding J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony and Kenyon Martin.
Karl's former players with the Nuggets, Andre Iguodala, and the Kings, DeMarcus Cousins, also used the word to call out their two-faced coach:
Despite the history, and the way Durant tried to mock all the hatred that comes his way, people took his joke as an implicitĀ confirmation.