Kevin Durant is never one to back down from a challenge, especially when it comes to his legacy. The 2-time NBA champion and former MVP lit up social media this week after firing a fiery response to a fan who called him out in a viral “NBA Mount Rushmore” post.
The post in question asked a simple but provocative question: “Who are you removing from this legendary lineup?”
The graphic included six all-time greats — Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Durant himself. One fan didn’t hesitate and tagged Durant directly, calling him “The Imposter” among the immortals.
Durant, known for his unapologetic presence online, didn’t let it slide. He clapped back in signature KD fashion:
“None of them can guard me. How bout that???”
With that one tweet, Durant essentially declared war on the NBA’s mythical Mount Rushmore.
And here’s the kicker: he’s not wrong.
Let’s break it down. Jordan and Kobe? Elite defenders in their primes, sure, but both are 6’6” guards. Durant, at 6’10” with a 7’5” wingspan, can rise up over either of them like they’re contesting in slow motion.
Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan? All-time great big men, but neither had the lateral quickness to keep up with Durant on the perimeter. Tim might have been a quiet assassin on defense, and Shaq an immovable object in the paint, but KD would drag them out to the arc and torch them.
LeBron James, perhaps the most versatile defender of the bunch, might offer the best shot at slowing KD down. But even that’s a stretch. Durant and LeBron have gone head-to-head on the biggest stages before, and KD more than held his own, famously dropping dagger threes over James in back-to-back NBA Finals to help deliver titles to Golden State.
One fan tried to play peacekeeper, replying to Durant’s post with some humility:
“Every person in that graphic is unguardable to be fair.”
Durant acknowledged the point but couldn’t help doubling down:
“Very true, would definitely need the National Guard to help guard those brothers. But lemme talk my shit real quick fam.”
That’s peak Durant, brutally honest, self-aware, and still fearless at 36.
And let’s be clear: Durant is still very much that guy. Last season with the Phoenix Suns, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 52.7% from the field and a sizzling 43% from deep. Even as the league gets younger and faster, KD’s scoring efficiency and shot-making remain generational.
Now suiting up for the Houston Rockets after a blockbuster trade just last week, Durant enters a new chapter. But his confidence hasn’t wavered, and neither has his ability to torch any defender thrown his way, whether that defender is a rising star or a Mount Rushmore legend.
Durant’s message was simple and sharp: put respect on his name. Because no matter how many titles or MVPs others have, very few, if any, can guard Kevin Wayne Durant.
