Kevin Durant’s résumé is nearly bulletproof — multiple titles, MVP honors, scoring crowns, and a reputation as one of the greatest pure scorers in NBA history. Still, for former NBA point guard Jeff Teague, something is missing.
During a recent appearance on the Club 520 podcast, Teague gave Durant his flowers as a talent, but questioned whether KD has ever truly elevated a roster the way other all-time greats have. According to Teague, it’s one thing to dominate the game individually. It’s another to raise the ceiling of those around you.
“You know how I feel about Kevin Durant. I think he’s one of the best players ever,” Teague said. “But I don’t think he has the ability to take a questionable team and elevate them dudes to a certain level.”
When it comes to putting the ball through the net, very few in NBA history can compare to Durant. The 17-year NBA veteran is right on the all-time scoring list with 30,571 and career averages of 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 50.2% shooting.
He’s also a 2x champion, 15x All-Star, 4x scoring leader, and 11x All-NBA player. Durant has averaged 20 or more points per game every single season, save for the 2019-20 campaign when he sat out to recover from a torn Achilles.
While everyone recognizes Durant’s scoring ability (Tracy McGrady says he’s one of the greatest ever in the category), the NBA legend doesn’t have the same ability to elevate his teammates as someone like LeBron James or Nikola Jokic.
He’s more of an isolation scoring specialist than a playmaker, and it could explain why he failed to make it work with the Nets and Suns, who were completely dysfunctional.
Going into the 2025-26 campaign, Durant has big ambitions with the Houston Rockets, but it remains to be seen how his arrival will impact their potential. After finishing second in the standings, they were already poised to be a threat, and Durant’s presence should help them get even better.
In reality, Durant’s status as the primary scoring option could cause some growing pains as his new teammates learn to adjust.
To date, the team where Durant had the most success is the Golden State Warriors, a squad so stacked that they could thrive with Durant focusing exclusively on scoring.
In Houston, Durant may have to contribute in other ways to finally break his championship drought, but they have faith he can be what they need for them.
Clearly, Jeff Teague’s comments won’t change Kevin Durant’s legacy, but they do highlight a deeper conversation around greatness. For all his individual dominance, Durant has rarely been asked to carry flawed rosters or make others better in the way LeBron James or Nikola Jokic have done consistently.
In Houston, that challenge may finally arrive. If Durant wants to silence critics and solidify his place among the all-time greats, it won’t be through stats or accolades — it’ll be through leadership, elevation, and proving he can be the difference-maker in more than just the box score.
