Kevin Durant ready to drop his “platinum verse” after being dismissed in Nikola Jokic offensive debate

There is no debate about the greatness of Kevin Durant as a historically great scorer, or even that might be an understatement given what he can do on the basketball court. To say that Nikola Jokic "clears" Durant as a better offensive player is sparking a heated debate, which happened on the "Players Choice" podcast recently, and Durant had to later step in.

The guests on the podcast started discussing who is a better offensive player between Durant and Jokic. A few of them noted that Jokic was better than KD. However, the debate blew off after one member opined that the Denver Nuggets star "cleared" prime Durant as an offensive player.

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The debate got so heated (with one member flipping at the use of "scorer" about Jokic) that Durant himself had to step in.

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"I need to come lay my verse on this pod. It would go plat[inum]," Durant wrote on X.

When a fan, in a now-deleted post, insinuated that the new Houston Rockets superstar was comparing himself to Jokic, Durant wrote:

"I don’t compare myself to anyone. Ima one of one brother. I just wanna talk a little basketball brother it’s not that serious."

The 15-time All-Star once again stepped in when fans started debating in the comments section, and quoted former Rutgers Scarlet Knights player and Utah Jazz draftee Ace Bailey.

"I ain’t got No weaknesses big dog -ace bailey," KD wrote.

When a fan said the podcast was still live, Kevin Durant was ready to tap in.

Comparing Nikola Jokic and Kevin Durant's offensive stats

It is hard to compare Nikola Jokic and Kevin Durant because they are two very different players, especially in their game styles. However, there could be a legitimate debate about the degree of their completeness as offensive players.

Durant relies more on scoring while operating on offense, whereas Jokic's offensive instincts are similar to those of LeBron James; scoring becomes his second option unless the opposing team allows him an easy opportunity.

Moreover, Jokic is a generational player who can pass the ball at an all-time historic level, while also having an offensive bag, perhaps an underestimated one. On the other hand, Durant is nearly perfect when it comes to scoring.

Let's look at Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic's offensive stats through their respective careers.

Regular Season

Player	PPG	APG	FG%	3-Point%	FT%
Kevin Durant	27.2	4.4	.502	.390	.882
Nikola Jokic	21.8	7.2	.560	.360	.824

Playoffs

Player	PPG	APG	FG%	3-Point%	FT%
Kevin Durant	29.3	4.2	.477	.356	.868
Nikola Jokic	27.4	7.6	.525	.388	.826

Kevin Durant might not be an all-time passer, but he makes up for it with his scoring. Moreover, he is third on the list of players with the most scoring titles [four] in NBA history.

About the author

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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Edited by Parag Jain