Kevin Durant: 'Media has too much say in awards'

Reigning NBA MVP Kevin Durant believes that the media has too much influence in deciding over which players win the league's annual awards.

A panel of 124 members of the media from across the United States and Canada cast the vote on the NBA's MVP award along with defensive player of the year and most improved as well as many other accolades.

However, the Oklahoma City Thunder power forward feels that more power should be given to the players to decide who should win the awards.

Durant told reporters: "I think [the] media gets too much power to vote on stuff like that. Quite frankly I don't think you really know a lot about as much we know about it.

"So we play against these guys every single night, we battle against these guys, we know what they say on the court, we know how they handle their teammates, we know how they approach the game, and our votes should count.

"Our opinions should count. I don't think you guys know as much we do, and I don't see why you have more power than we do."

Durant is expected to play in the NBA All-Star game on Sunday.