Kevin Durant is probably the best player in the world right now, guiding Team USA to gold in the Olympics and almost carrying the Brooklyn Nets to the Eastern Conference Finals last season without James Harden or Kyrie Irving. Durant is completely unstoppable offensively and has a strong case for being one of the top-3 small forwards in NBA history.
- Right Now, Durant Is A Top-15 Superstar Of All-Time
- Winning 2 Rings Places Kevin Durant In The Top-10
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KD is an 11-time All-Star, 4-time scoring champion, and a 2-time Finals MVP. Thanks to his decision to join the juggernaut Golden State Warriors, the “Slim Reaper” has placed himself on the map as one of the top players to have ever played the game. But what happens if Durant wins another 2 championships? He is in a spectacular position with the Brooklyn Nets, a team with the most talent in the NBA.
It is very reasonable to assume that Durant can win another 2 championships because at nearly 33 years old, he has a few more years left at the top. Considering how well superstars take care of themselves these days, Durant can remain at an elite level until his late 30’s. Of course, playing with 2 other superstars can extend his playing career. Before the start of the 2021-2022 season, it is time to determine where Kevin Durant can rank on the all-time list if he manages to win a total of 4 championships by the end of his career.
Right Now, Durant Is A Top-15 Superstar Of All-Time
As things stand, Kevin Durant has a strong case for being a top-15 player of all time. While he is nowhere near the top-10, he is getting closer. For the sake of this article, these 10 players are widely regarded as the pantheon greats:
Michael Jordan
LeBron James
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Bill Russell
Magic Johnson
Larry Bird
Kobe Bryant
Tim Duncan
Wilt Chamberlain
Shaquille O’Neal
It is hard for any player to come close to these 10 players because of their championship success, global impact, and supreme talents as two-way stars. But Durant has a strong case for being among the next 3 names to appear. The likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry West all hold favorable consideration among the NBA community; but Kevin Durant is right there with them. We have never seen a scorer and a player as dominant as the 6’10” forward before because he combined George Gervin’s physique with a perfect jumper and guard-like handles. In terms of pure offense, Durant has a case for being the greatest ever.
A 4-time scoring champion, Durant holds a career scoring average of 27.0 PPG on a supremely efficient 49.4% from the field, 38.4% from three, and 88.3% from the free-throw line. He “only” has a career-high season average of 32.0 PPG, which goes to show his unselfishness as a player as well. Despite having one of the greatest offensive skillsets in NBA history, he did not mind taking a backseat to the likes of Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry at times. Winning an MVP Award and 3 Olympic gold medals also solidifies his ranking in the top-15 because we have not seen a more dominant superstar for Team USA than Kevin Durant.
Winning 2 Rings Places Kevin Durant In The Top-10
The Brooklyn Nets are the most talented team in the NBA, and their roster compares to some of the best teams we have ever seen. That is why it is extremely realistic for Kevin Durant to win at least 2 NBA championships with the Nets representing the Eastern Conference. Durant had a sensational first season with Brooklyn, averaging 34.3 PPG on 51.4% shooting from the field in the playoffs. If he had either James Harden or Kyrie Irving healthy, Durant would have played in the Eastern Conference Finals.
But it is appropriate to imagine that at least 2 times over the next few years, the Nets will be at full health for a title run. When that happens, Durant will lead his team to 2 NBA titles as the best player on the team. As great as James Harden is on offense, he is not the postseason performer that Durant is nor does he have his size. Kyrie is also a sensational player but is best suited as a sidekick to the #1 option. 2 more championships and 2 more Finals MVPs places Durant in elite company, surpassing the field to become a top-10 player of all-time.
4 championships, 4 Finals MVPs, an MVP, and 4 scoring titles is a heck of a resume that will surpass what Shaquille O’Neal and Wilt Chamberlain did in the league. While many will argue the fact that Durant formed arguably the two greatest superteams in NBA history to get the job done, he will still have to show up and defeat the competition to earn his stripes. Durant will have more Finals MVPs than Shaq and more scoring titles. Durant will have more playoff success than Wilt and is a better raw talent than the big man. For many people, Durant might even have a case for surpassing Larry Bird (although Bird does has 3 MVPs). In a nutshell, winning 2 championships places Durant among the pantheon greats as a 4-time NBA champion with one of the most impressive resumes of all time.
