When thinking about an NBA player who will dominate, what part of their game do you think of? In other words, what attributes would you want a player to have if they played in today’s era? For me, someone who is freakishly tall but can move like a guard. Someone who is extremely athletic but can pull from 40. Well, you did describe a player in today’s generation.
That player is Kevin Durant.
Kevin Durant was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics, who are now the Oklahoma City Thunder, in the 2007 NBA draft. He made a significant impact on the team and the franchise, scoring a ton while leading the team to multiple playoff appearances. To me, he put OKC on the map, alongside his trusty sidekick, Russell Westbrook who appeared on the roster in 2009. Those two were the dynamic duo, Kevin Durant being the leader of that team at a young age.
Durant is one of a few players to never average below 20 points per game during his illustrious career. In his first season, he averaged 20.3 and never looked back. Durant is also one of the few in NBA history to be a part of the 50-40-90 club, which is shooting over 50% from the field, 40% from behind the arc, and 90% from the free-throw line.
Durant also won his first, and only, MVP back in 2014, when he averaged 32 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. He led the team to the Western Conference Finals where they fell to the San Antonio Spurs, the soon-to-be champions of the season that year.
Durant is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history. I mean, someone who is 7 foot, who can pull from anywhere as well as being able to dribble, I wouldn’t expect anything less. The only criticism Durant gets is his will to win, as in that he has been said to “take the easy way out.” He joined the Golden State Warriors, who were already a fantastic team, after losing to them in the playoffs. However, he was the best player, arguably, on the team during that time. He also has a tendency to choke during crunch time, despite being a great scorer and player.
For me, Durant is 13. He could get into the top 10 if he keeps up his winnings. I would like to see him lead a team to the playoffs and finals, but nowadays with everyone joining forces and creating overpowered teams, it’s going to be hard. I do think he can, but he needs to be a leader, not just a player. Kevin Durant is one of the best players during this era, let’s see if he can be one of the best players of all time.
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