Shaquille O’Neal says Kevin Durant’s Twitter beef with Stephen A. Smith is good for the game: “It’s gossip, it’s marketing”

Brooklyn Nets superstar forward Kevin Durant has never been afraid to share his feelings, especially when it comes to social media. It seems as if there's always a situation in which Durant is active toward defending his beliefs to critics.

Known as one of the greatest players in the NBA these days, Durant has been quick to call out some who might doubt his ability. It's not just casual fans Durant has been quick to respond to, it also has involved some of the top media personalities.

After a recent feud between ESPN sports analyst Stephen A. Smith and Durant broke out on Twitter, the basketball world buzzed while discussing the confrontation between the two sports personalities. On "The Big Podcast with Shaq," NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal gave his thoughts on the drama between the two parties.

"It's good for the game, it really is," O'Neal said. "It's gossip. It's marketing."

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Kevin Durant looking to get the Brooklyn Nets back on track

Shaquille O'Neal backs up Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant.

During his podcast, Shaquille O'Neal said Kevin Durant and Stephen A. Smith are two personalities who are never going to be afraid of what they want to say.

O'Neal pointed out that the Brooklyn Nets superstar has always looked for any possible criticism to motivate him on the basketball court. Throughout his career, Durant has been one of the most dangerous scoring weapons in the history of the game.

Although Durant continues to be a dominant force with his combination of scoring versatility, he's also become one of the most competitive players in the league.

When Durant played this year, the Nets looked like one of the most dangerous teams in the league. For Brooklyn, however, the team has started to spiral with Durant out recently while recovering from an MCL injury.

Brooklyn (29-25) is on a nine-game losing skid and will have plenty of work to do to attempt to climb in the Eastern Conference. The Nets are eighth, 5.5 games out of first place.

This year, Durant averaged 29.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 52.0%, including 37.2% from 3-point range.

Durant was the No. 2 pick in the 2007 NBA draft, chosen one spot after the Portland Trail Blazers selected Greg Oden. While Oden's career was derailed by injuries, Durant has carved out a resume that will land him in the Hall of Fame.