In an appearance on First Take Monday morning, NBA legend Charles Barkley unleashed a flurry of hot takes, ranging from load management to modern NBA salaries.
In one of the most interesting segments, Barkley was asked to pick a side between two of the best wing players in the game today: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant, and his answer may surprise you.
“Kevin Durant is a great, great player, but he’s not better than Giannis,” said Barkley in a debate with Stephen A. Smith. “What about the leadership qualities?”
According to Barkley, Durant’s shortcomings as a leader hold him back from being the NBA’s top player, and his leadership will be tested again as the main option for the Suns.
“That whole dynamic has changed. You know how much I love Chris Paul, I’ve been saying for years that he’s the best leader in the NBA. But because of his advanced age, he’s not the same player. With KD, you just said he’s the best player in the world. Have you ever said that before that the best player in the world is not the leader? You can’t have your cake and eat it too, Stephen A.”
"KD's a great player, but he's not better than Giannis."
👀 Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/y77PMJ2xAo
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 27, 2023
Chris Paul’s arrival helped transform the Suns from a fringe playoff contender to a legitimate Western Conference threat, and his skills as a leader and playmaker are what helped them make their Finals run in 2021.
But with Durant in town, the pressure falls on him to perform and lead the Suns through a strong playoff performance this year. Considering what we saw in Brooklyn, there’s reason to believe that Durant isn’t somebody who properly holds his teammates accountable.
In that regard, Giannis has separated himself in a big way.
Should Giannis Be In The MVP Conversation This Season?
With averages of 31.3 points, 12 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game on 53% shooting, Giannis is having another spectacular season, and it may be one of the best of his career so far.
Better still, his Bucks are in the middle of a 14-game win streak and are proving to be among the title favorites in the final stretch of this regular season.
Compare that to the dysfunction and chaos that occurred with the Nets under Durant, and there is a strong case to be made that the Greek Freak is simply a better leader than his colleague in Phoenix.
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