"Embiid's not seven feet" - Kevin Durant stubbornly says he's 6'9'', and other players are lying about their height
Kevin Durant's real height remains a mystery to this day. His listed height for the past years has either been 6'10" or 6'11". However, seeing him beside other towering players has made people wonder whether he is taller than he is said to be.
The Phoenix Suns superstar had the opportunity to set the record straight in an appearance on the "Up & Adams" show, but he only made things more puzzling by saying he is 6-foot-9 and that other players, especially his Team USA teammates who don't appear to be taller than him, are lying about their heights.
"I guess those guys must be shorter than what their numbers say," Durant told Kay Adams, who asked about the viral Team USA photoshoot. "I'm 6'9", though."
Who's telling the truth?
KD's statement doesn't appear to check out because it's hard to believe he stands just 6'9" after seeing him in pictures and on the court alongside other players. But he is adamant about it, even commenting that other players aren't truthful about how tall they really are.
"It looks like Bam Adebayo is probably 6'8" instead of 6'10", and AD (Anthony Davis) is probably 6'9"," Durant continued. "So, they probably adding a little more in their height, while I'm keeping mine the same. I'm not lying about my height."
When Adams noted that the former MVP looks as tall as Joel Embiid in pictures, Durant didn't change his stance.
"Really?" he scoffed at the remark. "Yeah, Embiid's not seven feet."
At this point, no one will know for sure how tall KD actually is. However, plenty of evidence shows that he isn't as short as he claims to be. And if he is telling the truth, that means Jayson Tatum isn't 6'8", and Kawhi Leonard isn't 6'7".
Height matters
While the specifics of their statures do not matter, Team USA's length will likely emerge as crucial in the upcoming Olympics.
In the group stage, the squad will be going up against Serbia and their possible formidable big-man rotation, which could include Nikola Jokic and Nikola Milutinov. If the Red, White, and Blue make it to the knockout stage, a matchup against France, whose roster is headlined by Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert, could be waiting in the quarterfinals, semifinals, or gold-medal contest.
So, Durant and his frontcourt buddies might have their hands full in the Paris Games. It's been 20 years since the Americans didn't finish the tournament at the top of the podium, and they likely want to extend the gold medal streak the Redeem Team started in 2008.
