Lana Rhoades has had her share of first dates, but one stands out for all the wrong reasons. It wasn’t the spark of romance or a Hollywood connection that made it unforgettable — it was the sheer awkwardness of what then–Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant allegedly did.
Kevin Durant
According to Rhoades, the 2014 NBA MVP showed up to their first date with a “backup girl” in tow.
In June 2021, on the “3 Girls, 1 Kitchen” podcast, Rhoades shared:
“I was willing to give this guy a shot. Not generally my type, but I’m like, ‘Okay, you’re very intelligent. You’re successful. I think I could give this a go because I like your mind.’ And then he springs on me — ‘my f— buddy for the past year is coming with us.’”
She never named Durant directly, but she noted the man was a Libra — matching Durant’s September 29 birthday and making him the only Libra on the Nets roster at the time.
Durant’s Perspective on Relationships Durant has been candid about his views on dating. In interviews with I Show Speed and Logan Paul’s “Impaulsive,” he said plainly:
“I don’t want a girlfriend, just that simply put.”
He also admitted that early in his Hall of Fame career, he didn’t always know how to love properly. It’s possible Durant assumed Rhoades — given her background in adult entertainment — would be more open to an unconventional dating setup. Rhoades noted she had encountered similar situations a handful of times, so she wasn’t shocked — just disappointed.
The Date Went Nowhere The evening quickly turned painful. Rhoades tried to spark conversation, asking about his favorite things or opinions, but he barely engaged. In the end, she summed it up simply: the date wasn’t “spicy” enough for her. There was no real connection, and the two never spoke again.
The story highlights a very human side of Durant — one of the NBA’s biggest stars with 15 All-Star appearances and two Finals MVPs — who, despite his on-court dominance, has had his share of off-court moments that didn’t go as planned.
What do you think of this story? Is Durant’s “backup plan” approach understandable for someone in his position, or just painfully awkward?