Kevin Durant has seen everything in his 18-year NBA career, including championships, MVPs, and buzzer-beaters. But Thursday night gave him a very new experience, getting smacked in the face by Brooklyn Nets rookie’s insane miss.
The Houston Rockets upset the Nets 120-96 on New Year’s Day at Barclays Center. Durant dropped 22 points and dished 11 assists to lead Rockets in that convincing victory. But the highlight moment came when rookie Danny Wolf launched an airball that missed the rim and hit KD’s face.
Danny Wolf’s Brutal Miss Hits Kevin Durant in the Face
Wolf caught the ball wide open beyond the arc during the early minutes of the New Year’s game. The 6’11” forward let it fly to go inside the rim. However, it didn’t just miss but returned violently to Durant’s face after colliding with the rim.
The replay video has since turned viral online. Durant was nowhere prepared for the ball to hit his face in the blink. He could be seen immediately covering his face, rubbing it with his jersey, and checking whether his nose was bleeding.
And a hot mic caught his vicious reaction immediately after getting hit. KD said, “That’s a trash-a— miss, Wolf!” The future Hall of Famer seemed absolutely annoyed with the rookie’s highlight miss.
“THAT’S A TRASH ASS MISS, WOLF” 🗑️😭
KD after Danny Wolf’s shot attempt hit him 💀 pic.twitter.com/wjLyMETIgq
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 2, 2026
The 27th overall pick in the 2025 draft has struggled shooting this season. Wolf entered the game hitting just 34.3% from deep through the last 10 games. Interestingly, Wolf’s rough stretch extends beyond shooting woes.
Just days earlier, Warriors star Jimmy Butler torched him with racially charged trash talk. After scoring an and-one on Wolf, Butler screamed, “White boy! White boy! EVERY TIME!” repeatedly at the rookie during Golden State’s 120-107 win over Brooklyn.
The league’s veterans have made Wolf an easy target. First Butler and now Durant. Their comments perfectly showcased the gap between veteran expectations and rookie reality.
Fans React to Kevin Durant Getting Hit by Danny Wolf’s Brick
Social media exploded shortly after the clip went viral. Fans flooded X with reactions, mixing sympathy for Wolf, plus appreciation for Durant’s unfiltered response.
“Rookie hazing level: Expert. Jimmy called him ‘white boy,’ now KD calling the shot trash after it smacks his face. Danny Wolf can’t buy a break this season,” one fan wrote.
Another added, “KD catching a stray with his face from Wolf’s brick. ‘That’s a trash ass miss’ – vintage Durant, zero filter.”
A third fan remarked, “KD forgot his hard hat.”
The fourth shared, “NBA players to Danny Wolf: Jimmy Butler: ‘White boy!! White boy!! EVERY TIME!!!’ Kevin Durant: ‘Trash a** miss, Wolf.’ Rookie can’t catch a break.”
A fifth added, “That brick from Danny Wolf had KD mad!”
Wolf has a long way to go. His shooting needs major improvement before he can be a steady NBA rotation player. For now, he’s learning tyings by missing badly, and even the legends sitting courtside will call it out.
