"As a champion, you know that we’ve never seen anybody come through our league like him" – Isiah Thomas praises Kevin Durant, says what he’s doing is historical

Kevin Durant and Eddie Gonzalez invited NBA legend Isiah Thomas to the latest episode of their podcast, "ETCs with Kevin Durant." Thomas, a Hall of Famer and two-time NBA champion, gave listeners insight into his career, including his roles as an executive and a head coach in the league. As he discussed how the game has transformed, Thomas had high praise for the players of this generation.

The game today is played at a much faster pace, owing to the creativity the players are bringing. Some have unstoppable jumpers, some have insane hops, while quite a few have extended their 3-point range. Thomas has been open about praising the players of the current generation, and when asked about it, he said:

“Our generation can pat ourselves on the back as much as we want. But at the end of the day, you know, what we’re watching and what some of these guys are doing, not all of them, but what a few of them are doing, you know, is historical. And we on this chat with one of them now.”

Steph Curry and Damian Lillard have consistently extended their range over the years. Trae Young and Luka Doncic, coming from the same draft class, took hardly any time to settle into the league. LeBron James and Chris Paul are playing at a high level, even today. Giannis Antetokounmpo, at age 27, has already won two MVP titles, and the list goes on.

Durant is another player who has dominated the current generation and Isiah Thomas acknowledged that fact:

“You know, what KD has done and what he’s doing and who he is as a business man, as a basketball player, as a champion. You know, we’ve never seen anybody come through our league like him before at 7-foot or 6-11 with an oversized shoe.”

Despite missing out on the 2021 NBA Finals, Kevin Durant has earned a reputation for being unstoppable. His size and athleticism, along with his pure shooting stroke, has set him apart. The 2007-08 Rookie of the Year has a wide range of moves in his repertoire, which Thomas highlighted, saying:

“Crossing over, stepping back, shooting the J, finishing at the rim. You know, blocking shots and you know, we’ve never seen a player like this in our league. And I try to let the viewers know, every night like, this is different; you know, he’s different.”

Kevin Durant’s quest for a third title

Before signing with the Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant won two NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors. While the Warriors suffered multiple injuries to their roster, Durant decided to team with Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn but sat out an entire season. The following season, the squad was strengthened with the addition of James Harden.

In a rocky 2020-21 season, the Brooklyn Nets were ousted by the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games despite Durant averaging 35.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists. Over the offseason, the Nets went to work, which is evident in their game. Brooklyn (25-14) is currently second in the Eastern Conference.

Durant has been putting up strong performances consistently, covering up for the selectively available Kyrie Irving. In 34 games, Durant has averaged a league-leading 29.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists. He has performed at a high level, including a season-high 51 points against the Detroit Pistons. Along with chasing the championship, Durant is making a claim at the season’s MVP trophy.

The duo of Durant and Harden did some heavy-lifting at the start of the season, spending a lot of minutes on the floor. Now, with the addition of Irving to the rotation, the Nets are in perfect position to make a deep run into the playoffs.

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