Durant says Kyrie is criticized because he tells 'the raw truth'

Kevin Durant believes Kyrie Irving has become a target for critics because he isn't afraid to speak his mind.

Durant came to his Brooklyn Nets teammate's defense Wednesday on the ELITE Media Group's "Play For Keeps" podcast after being asked about Irving being perceived as "misunderstood."

"What does misunderstood mean?" Durant said. "I think the truth sometimes can hurt a lot of people. When you tell the raw truth, especially in this society, it's frowned upon. Kyrie just tells it how it is. There's no sugarcoating. If he walks into the gym one day and says, 'I don't like how this is going,' it's probably not going well. But he just don't mind voicing it."

Irving himself doesn't seem too bothered by the backlash he's received. He responded to his critics - particularly those who have taken issue with his off-court activism - during an Instagram Live session in July, explaining that his life "encompasses a lot more than just shooting a damn basketball."

Durant and Irving will share the court together as Nets teammates for the first time next season following Durant's recovery from a torn Achilles suffered during the 2019 NBA Finals.