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Kevin Durant is regarded as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, and many voices around the league have defined him as the best player in today's NBA. Whether he is indeed the greatest current player or not, there is no discussion around his ability to score in the game of basketball.
Durant has already accomplished several individual awards that would definitely make his resume a great one. KD has won the NBA MVP award, two Finals MVPs and four scoring titles in his 14-year career.
More importantly, Kevin Durant is a two-time NBA champion and regardless of what many of those who oppose his greatness might believe, his resume will always define him as, at least, a two-time league champion.
Could Kevin Durant join the NBA GOAT debate?
Of course, Durant won those championships with the Golden State Warriors, a team that had just eliminated him and his OKC Thunder in the 2016 NBA Playoffs. That team had won an NBA championship as a group and followed that up with a 73-9 regular season right before Kevin Durant joined.
Still, Durant is often regarded as the best player on that team, though Stephen Curry was definitely the most accomplished, and he turned out to be the most dominant player on the court from that roster.
Kevin Durant is clearly recognized as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history, possibly the greatest. However, his name does not come up when discussing the greatest player in NBA history, as that debate seems to be reserved for a few names, such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell and a few others.
In this article, we will give you five things Kevin Durant needs to accomplish to enter the NBA's GOAT discussion. Those things might be easier said than done, but if he manages to achieve some of those, his name could reach another dimension in league history.
Without further ado, let us start.
#5 Add memorable, iconic performances to his postseason resume
Kevin Durant's career has been nothing short of impressive. Even looking at him on the basketball court is shocking, given his size, the ability he has and the efficiency he usually displays.
However, entering the NBA GOAT discussion seems to require more than just great ability and accolades. Taking a look into cases from Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, there is always an intangible component which includes a certain type of mentality and lots of memorable, iconic moments.
Kevin Durant's personality seems to be highly intriguing and interesting, that often creates several storylines around him that definitely help in the mystique side of things. However, he has not had too many iconic moments in NBA Playoffs games.
The biggest shot of his NBA career was probably a three-pointer that was the eventual game-winner in Game 3 of the 2017 NBA Finals. The Warriors were leading that series 2-0 over LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers, and Durant's shot put the series 3-0.
Eventually, the Warriors won the title in five games and Kevin Durant won Finals MVP honors. Apart from that one, his game-tying, season-saving shot against the Brooklyn Nets was memorable, but the team ended up losing the game in overtime.
#4 Win at least one more NBA scoring title
Getting away from the intangibles, here is where Kevin Durant can build an objective case that does not need to please the media, just the reality.
On that regard, starting by adding another scoring title to his NBA resume would definitely help. First of all, it would mean that he had a healthy, consistent regular season that would put him in the NBA MVP discussion.
It would also be the fifth of his NBA career, making him just the third player in NBA history to reach that mark, alongside Michael Jordan and another player who should have GOAT consideration, Wilt Chamberlain.
#3 Win two more NBA titles
To really enter the NBA GOAT debate, Kevin Durant and any other superstar will need to guide his team to several NBA championships. Individual accolades and impressive numbers are definitely great, but collective achievements and a big influence on those achievements is part of the resume of any player in the GOAT debate.
Durant, as mentioned earlier, has already won two NBA championships, but those have not been enough for him to be considered among the Top 5 players in NBA history.
If he manages to reach at least four NBA championships, his GOAT case could take a solid boost.
#2 Add a couple of Finals MVPs to his resume
The NBA GOAT debate is obviously a matter of subjective evaluation of a player's achievements that often includes, among fans, excuses or a blind eye on said player's weaknesses.
What is not subjective, though, are the facts. If Kevin Durant truly shows he is the current best player in the NBA, then leading his team to NBA championships and adding a couple more Finals MVP trophies to his resume would be feasible.
Kevin Durant won the 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals MVPs with tremendous performances for the Golden State Warriors against LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers. He averages 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game with 55/47/92 shooting splits in the 2017 NBA Finals.
In the 2018 edition, Durant put up 28.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game with a 52/40/96 shooting split. With two NBA Finals MVPs added to his resume, Durant would be ahead of the likes of Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan (all of whom won three), tied with LeBron James and only behind Michael Jordan (six).
#1 Win an NBA title without a team that is the overwhelming favorite
Whether it is fair or not, Kevin Durant is still criticized for joining a Golden State Warriors' team that already was a proven NBA champion and was coming off the greatest regular-season in NBA history and defeating his team.
Although he managed to win two championships with the squad and won Finals MVP honors twice, there are many who say Durant's rings are not in the same category as those from Dirk Nowitzki or Giannis Antetokounmpo.
If he accomplishes all the points mentioned earlier, but he does it with another super team (the Brooklyn Nets as currently constructed), Kevin Durant will not put the current criticism to rest.
However, if Kevin Durant eventually adds a championship that comes without a group of superstars around him, the narrative will change regarding his status among the contenders for the NBA GOAT tag.
Also read: Kevin Durant vs Stephen Curry: Who ranks ahead on the NBA’s all-time list?
