Kevin Durant has been in the league for a long time now, so being the recipient of trash talk is nothing new to him. Back in April, it came from none other than Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, who continuously gave KD a piece of his mind during their first-round playoff clash. Fast forward to today and both players will be donning the Team USA jersey for the upcoming Olympics, which is probably why the Phoenix Suns forward was — again — asked about his new teammate's banter.

Just like how he addressed the questions back in April, Durant had nothing but good words for the young Timberwolves guard.

“I respect that, that players who come out there and, you know, they say something and they're going to prove it,” Durant said, per Yahoo Sports. “And that's what he (Edwards) did in that series. He played his a** off. You gain so much respect. We always have respect for him, but it just went to another level, playing against him and seeing him compete.”

“And when we're both competing for something, that's important. So yeah, I respected it. I couldn't say much back but just try to go down there and do my thing,” he added.

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Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) shares words with Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) after fouling him in the third quarter at Target Center.
Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
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The Suns ended up losing to the Timberwolves in a four-game sweep. This came as an initial surprise, as Phoenix had Minnesota's number throughout the past year. Ahead of their postseason matchup, the Suns won all three clashes during the 2023-24 regular season.

Many also expected Phoenix to advance because of how Durant played alongside the likes of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. However, that wasn't the case. The Timberwolves took their play up a notch, garnering a Western Conference Finals Appearance at the expense of the Suns and the Denver Nuggets in the following round.

Kevin Durant and Anthony Edwards: USA basketball teammates

Kevin Durant and Anthony Edwards will now be sharing the court once again as Team USA prepares to defend their crown in Paris, and it won't be surprising if more trash talk happens behind closed doors. The competitive environment and star-studded practices will definitely be a sight to see. Alongside both players, names such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum are just four of the many stars that will suit up for the United States.

Team USA has won Gold in Men's basketball for four straight Olympic events. The last time they fell short was back in 2004, when Argentina took the crown while the U.S. settled for bronze. Looking at the current roster, a five-peat is highly possible. Nevertheless, it won't be easy, as other nations are arguably on the rise with NBA talent as well. The festivities in Paris kick off on July 26, and there will undoubtedly be plenty of quality basketball for spectators to witness.