5 reasons why Kevin Durant won't be able to dethrone LeBron James as the face of the NBA even in the near future

#3 Pursuit to join a super-team

Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors together laughing after the Nets defeated the Warriors 134-117 in an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on February 13, 2021 in San Francisco, California.

Winning with the Nets might make his case as to why he should dethrone James as the face of the NBA, but he's still surrounded by already established players like Harden. The two-time championship ring holder only won those titles when he left the OKC Thunder to join the Warriors' super-team.

He joined the Warriors as a free agent, pairing up with superstars like Klay Thompson and Steph Curry on their roster. Durant's decision to join the Warriors was met with heavy criticism, with some pointing out that they didn't need him, as they had won a record 73 games in a season, and others questioning his loyalty as the Warriors had defeated the Thunder in the Conference Finals seven times. He is thought to have taken the easy route to a championship title.

However, a claim such as this can be said about James' 2010 decision to join the Heat with players like Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the roster. But James made a return in 2014 and in 2016, he led the Cavaliers to their first NBA championship.

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#2 Defensive ability

LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends a pass intended for Clint Capela #15 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena on February 01, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Even with his wingspan, Durant is not a reliable player on the defense, as James has proven to be on multiple occasions.

In the 2020-21 NBA season, with Durant on the floor, opponents shot an effective field goal of 52.1% and recorded an offensive rebound percentage of .25. With James fielded, opponents manage an offensive rebound of 22.3% and an effective field goal percentage of .515.

James' ability to defend all positions and rebound the ball on both ends of the court sets him apart from Durant. Simply put, Durant is not a two-way player as LeBron is.

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#1 Not an all-around player

LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers rebounds against the Golden State Warriors in the first half during Game Two of the 2015 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 7, 2015 in Oakland, California.

While James is a consistent scorer, he is also an amazing playmaker. He scores and creates. The NBA's third-best scorer of all time is arguably the best all-around player in the history of the NBA. His 18-years long career has seen him play in several positions as a small forward, point guard, power forward, shooting guard and sometimes as a center.

That quality is lacking when it comes to Durant. No doubt he is a consistent scorer and a skilled player, but his play-making skills are incomparable to that of James and he cannot be classified as an all-around player.