Although his Phoenix Suns have been a big disappointment this season, Kevin Durant is still one of the best basketball players in the world, even though he’s 36 years of age.
He’s averaging an efficient 27.3 points a game this season, and his steady production has helped keep Phoenix, at the very least, in contention for a play-in tournament spot.
But for whatever reason, many refuse to give Durant his due, even though he has two NBA championships and two NBA Finals MVPs, not to mention four scoring titles, to his name.
Former 3-and-D wing Danny Green said the player that was consistently hard for him to guard was Durant, and he said that Durant could’ve been the greatest player ever if not for what he feels is a lack of leadership talent.
“KD could’ve been the best player in the history of the game if he wanted to be. … He was deserving of more than one MVP he was just never known to be that type of leader.”
– Danny Green
(🎥 @RunItBackFDTV )
pic.twitter.com/TDX2EJbuaN
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 31, 2025
Any conversation about the greatest scorers in NBA history has to include Durant, who is closing in on the 30,000-point mark, a milestone that only seven NBA players have ever reached.
Michael Jordan and LeBron James were more physically gifted, Kobe Bryant was more skilled and determined and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had the most unstoppable shot in basketball history, but perhaps no one has dropped buckets on a consistent basis in a smoother fashion than Durant.
The 2017 and 2018 Golden State Warriors likely wouldn’t have won it all without Durant, and when he was sent to the Suns two years ago, many predicted they would soon become championship contenders.
They have fallen well short of those expectations, mostly due to injuries, but if they were to pull off a trade for Jimmy Butler, perhaps such a deal would pry open a championship window for them and resurrect Durant’s chances of climbing the all-time player rankings.
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