Over his 16-year NBA career, Dwyane Wade has faced off against many great players. From Kobe Bryant to James Harden, the 13x All-Star has first-hand experience going up against basketball’s greatest.
But in a recent Q&A with WIRED, the star guard revealed which players were the most difficult for him to guard.
“Well, first of all, it’s Kevin Durant. He’s 6’11”, maybe 7’1″ depending on how KD wanna be perceived. But it’s hard to guard a guy who has so much talent to be able to put the ball on the floor, can score from inside the paint, to the free-throw line, to the mid-range, to the three-point line, back at half court.”
He also gave a nod to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“If I had to pick another player, I would say Giannis. It’s hard to guard Giannis because of his attack. And he’s also 7’1″. He’s a 7-footer coming down with the ability to be able to handle the ball. He runs fast, he point guards, and just as big as a center. So it’s hard to guard a guy like that who is strong and who is aggressive, and as monstrous as he is on the basketball floor.”
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Durant is widely recognized as one of basketball’s all-time greatest scorers. His long, lanky frame allows him to shoot over any opponent and his handles allow him to score in many different ways. Whether it’s off the dribble or in the post, the 11x All-Star is practically unstoppable offensively.
Giannis, meanwhile, enjoys many similar advantages. The 2x MVP is a beast on the interior who is averaging 27 points and 11.6 rebounds per game this season.
When it comes to naming the toughest players to guard, those two players are among the most frequently mentioned, and it’s easy to see why.
