It definitely looks like in the modern era, every lengthy player that can shoot over others will get compared to Kevin Durant. It happened to Brandon Ingram, as the former All-Star has a burgeoning isolation game and the ability to hit tough shots over defenders. The most recent player that has drawn those comparisons is Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets, as he has similar traits to Kevin Durant on the offensive end, in particular the midrange game.
While the comparisons highlight their similar styles of play, Kevin Durant thinks that Michael Porter Jr. is developing into a unique player himself. Recently, Durant has acknowledged the comparisons but claimed that Porter Jr. was becoming his own player.
Kevin Durant: "Michael Porter is turning into his own player. I hear the comparisons, but he's his own player."
— Matt Brooks (@MattBrooksNBA) May 9, 2021
There are players who will look stylistically similar to one another throughout the different eras of the NBA. That is only natural, considering most players watch their predecessors play, and try to pick up things from their games. While Michael Porter Jr. is a three-level scorer with length, it doesn’t automatically mean that he can be simply equated to Durant, who is one of the best scorers in NBA history.
Comparisons work to a certain extent, but at the end of the day, even if a player looks similar to another player, there are still subtle differences in their games. Michael Porter Jr. is without a doubt talented, and could potentially become a perennial All-Star in the future. Perhaps one day he’ll be regarded in the same light as Kevin Durant, but right now, the comparisons are slightly premature.
