Trailblazing US tennis star’s two-word response to Kevin Durant’s emotional admission over $400 million career

Kevin Durant’s emotional moment on camera has taken social media ablaze. Now, Frances Tiafoe, tennis’ world No.18, is the latest star to react to the viral clip of the NBA legend. Frances Tiafoe is the American No.4 and three-time ATP champion Durant teared up discussing his experience playing in the Olympics for Team USA in a sneak peak of Netflix’s documentary series Court of Gold. The two-time NBA champion explained how he was struck by the unity that Olympic basketball creates and how the sport has saved his life. “Then I looked in the crowd, there’s 27,000 people from all walks of life, all different countries, coming together for basketball. … It’s incredible to see that, you know what I mean?” Durant said while fighting back tears. “As much as I can bring us together that way, that’s what I try to do, I come from neighborhoods where people don’t even talk to each other. “So much hate in the world, too, people get to start laughing and joking for the game of ball. It’s cool to me, so it gets me emotional, dawg.” Last summer’s Paris Olympics saw Durant win his fourth gold medal and surpass Lisa Leslie as Team USA’s all-time leading scorer. The former NBA MVP also said basketball has “brought me and my family out of a lot of bulls***,” a reference to the financial struggle he was brought up in to now, in a career that has seen him earn just over $400 million. America’s world No.4 in tennis, Tiafoe, reacted to the clip of Durant’s tears and gave a simple two-word reaction. “Felt this,” the 27-year-old wrote on social media. The three-time ATP champion is also another athlete who has opened up on the struggle of his upbringing. Tiafoe is the son of immigrants from Sierra Leone and has said he used to live in a tennis center storage room and was regularly insulted about being poor while training as a teenager. @bigfoe1998Frances Tiafoe’s message to Kevin Durant[/caption] Kevin Durant got emotional over playing for Team USA at the Olympics last summer “The circumstances in my life have definitely changed,” said Tiafoe last year in an interview with Andscape. “But those poor, poor jokes back then really hurt. It made you feel, in the back of your mind, that you weren’t cut from the same cloth.” Both Durant and Tiafoe are now elite American athletes, and in the process have changed their lives. It wasn’t long ago the pair linked up at one of Tiafoe’s matches and Durant was full of praise for the tennis star. “He’s just bringing, first of all, that energy from this area,” Durant said. “He’s representing right, so we’re all proud of him.” Tiafoe and Durant are currently in the midst of a busy period for their respective sports. Both will hope to win big in the coming months.

Feb 18, 2025 - 14:09
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Trailblazing US tennis star’s two-word response to Kevin Durant’s emotional admission over $400 million career

Kevin Durant’s emotional moment on camera has taken social media ablaze.

Now, Frances Tiafoe, tennis’ world No.18, is the latest star to react to the viral clip of the NBA legend.

MASON, OHIO - AUGUST 19:  Frances Tiafoe of the United States   receives the runner-up trophy after losing Jannik Sinner of Italy in the final of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 19, 2024 in Mason, Ohio. (Photo by Frey/TPN/Getty Images)
Frances Tiafoe is the American No.4 and three-time ATP champion

Durant teared up discussing his experience playing in the Olympics for Team USA in a sneak peak of Netflix’s documentary series Court of Gold.

The two-time NBA champion explained how he was struck by the unity that Olympic basketball creates and how the sport has saved his life.

“Then I looked in the crowd, there’s 27,000 people from all walks of life, all different countries, coming together for basketball. … It’s incredible to see that, you know what I mean?” Durant said while fighting back tears.

“As much as I can bring us together that way, that’s what I try to do, I come from neighborhoods where people don’t even talk to each other.

“So much hate in the world, too, people get to start laughing and joking for the game of ball. It’s cool to me, so it gets me emotional, dawg.”

Last summer’s Paris Olympics saw Durant win his fourth gold medal and surpass Lisa Leslie as Team USA’s all-time leading scorer.

The former NBA MVP also said basketball has “brought me and my family out of a lot of bulls***,” a reference to the financial struggle he was brought up in to now, in a career that has seen him earn just over $400 million.

America’s world No.4 in tennis, Tiafoe, reacted to the clip of Durant’s tears and gave a simple two-word reaction.

“Felt this,” the 27-year-old wrote on social media.

The three-time ATP champion is also another athlete who has opened up on the struggle of his upbringing.

Tiafoe is the son of immigrants from Sierra Leone and has said he used to live in a tennis center storage room and was regularly insulted about being poor while training as a teenager.

Screenshot of a Netflix video showing a person crying; the person is wearing a Boston Bruins baseball cap.@bigfoe1998
Frances Tiafoe’s message to Kevin Durant[/caption]
TOPSHOT - Gold medallists (From L) USA's #04 Stephen Curry, USA's #06 LeBron James and USA's #07 Kevin Durant pose after the men's Gold Medal basketball match between France and USA during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy  Arena in Paris on August 10, 2024. (Photo by Damien MEYER / AFP) (Photo by DAMIEN MEYER/AFP via Getty Images)
Kevin Durant got emotional over playing for Team USA at the Olympics last summer

“The circumstances in my life have definitely changed,” said Tiafoe last year in an interview with Andscape.

“But those poor, poor jokes back then really hurt. It made you feel, in the back of your mind, that you weren’t cut from the same cloth.”

Both Durant and Tiafoe are now elite American athletes, and in the process have changed their lives.

It wasn’t long ago the pair linked up at one of Tiafoe’s matches and Durant was full of praise for the tennis star.

“He’s just bringing, first of all, that energy from this area,” Durant said. “He’s representing right, so we’re all proud of him.”

Tiafoe and Durant are currently in the midst of a busy period for their respective sports. Both will hope to win big in the coming months.