Former NBA swingman Chandler Parsons recently caused a stir on social media when he shared his latest take on the NBA’s All-Time greatest players. Contrary to popular thinking, Parsons has Kevin Durant above Kobe Bryant as one of the top players ever.
“I love Kobe, God rest his soul, but he’s not top three in most people’s eyes. I don’t even understand how this is an argument between him and LeBron” said Parsons on FanDuel TV. “I think it’s Shaq (third) but a lot of guys would go even older than him. But I don’t think if you look at rankings across the world, I don’t see Kobe in most people’s top three. He’s not. But to put him over LeBron… I would rank Kevin Durant above Kobe.”
The NBA’s All-Time player hierarchy usually starts with Michael Jordan (6x champion and 5x MVP) and then LeBron James (4x MVP) but after that, it’s completely debatable.
Of course, for Chandler Parsons, Kobe isn’t quite on the same level as Jordan, Michael, or even Kevin Durant, and that makes him a rarity among NBA veterans.
Kobe’s place among the All-Time greats has always been somewhat controversial. If you ask some, he’s among the top three players ever for his status as a 5x champion, 1x MVP, 2x scoring leader, 18x All-Star, and 15x All-NBA player. He’s fourth on the All-Time scoring list with 33,643 points in his career.
Since Kobe’s rise to stardom in the early 2000s, countless NBA figures have counted him among the greatest ever, including Shaquille O’Neal, James Harden, Gilbert Arenas, and Jayson Tatum (among others). As it stands, Kobe is the only player in NBA history to have two different jersey numbers retired by the same team (8 and 24 by the Lakers).
Still, not everyone agrees that Kobe belongs in the top 5. Perhaps the biggest argument against his placement is the greatness of the players above him. Guys like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry have accomplished just as much and many would rank them a whole tier above Kobe.
In the case of Kevin Durant, it’s not every day that he gets included in the GOAT conversation but he has a reasonable case to be made. Credited as one of the greatest scorers in basketball history, Kevin Durant’s accomplishments are vastly impressive. In 16 years in the NBA, Durant is a 2x champion, 1x MVP, 4x scoring leader, 14x All-Star, and 11x All-NBA player.
At 36 years old, Durant is still active in the NBA and he’s playing elite-level basketball for the Suns. This season, through 28 games, Durant is averaging 27.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 51.9% shooting. He’s one of the defining players of the modern NBA and inspired countless athletes to pursue their love of the game.
Love him or hate him, Kevin Durant’s legacy is undeniable even if fans disagree on where exactly he ranks among other NBA legends. Some say he goes after Kobe and others say he goes before Kobe, on par with LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
Needless to say, the NBA’s player hierarchy looks different for everyone and it’s impossible to come to a consensus on who are the best five players in basketball history. At the very least, however, Kobe is part of the conversation and the same can be said for Kevin Durant, who continues to build up his legacy with every additional season.
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