Ask your average NBA fan who is the best scorer in the league and most if not all would give Kevin Durant as their answer. They are not wrong in stating that either, as few in NBA history can match Durant’s arsenal of scoring moves and the efficiency at which he gets the job done.
His 4 scoring titles are tied for 3rd all-time, behind only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, two giants of the game, but KD is now approaching almost a decade without a scoring title, with the last of his 4 coming back in 2014. In fact, in each of the last 5 seasons starting from 2017, Giannis Antetokounmpo has outscored him. Getting the better of KD in the scoring department for a season or two is one thing, but to do so for 5 years in a row is something truly remarkable. It is also not something you’d expect, considering how everyone loves to point out Giannis’ deficiencies as a shooter, but he has done something here that not even LeBron James or Stephen Curry can boast of.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
2017-18: 26.9 PPG
2018-19: 27.7 PPG
2019-20: 29.5 PPG
2020-21: 28.1 PPG
2021-22: 29.9 PPG
Kevin Durant
2017-18: 26.4 PPG
2018-19: 26.0 PPG
2019-20: N/A
2020-21: 26.9 PPG
2021-22: 29.9 PPG
The two did end up averaging 29.9 points per game in 2021-22 but Giannis (2002) scored over 300 more points than KD (1643) as he played more games. It speaks to his continuous growth as a player that he has managed to better one of the most gifted scorers that the league has ever seen.
A young Giannis had once told reporters that he wanted to win MVP one day, to which they had all responded by laughing out loud. To see where is now from that point in his career is a testament to his work ethic as well as his determination to achieve greatness. He has achieved it too, of course, by winning 2 MVPs to go with a title and Finals MVP in 2021.
