“Luka Doncic will get there, but Kevin Durant is still the best player in the world”: JJ Redick discusses whether Mavericks star can upstage the Slim Reaper in 2021-22 NBA season

JJ Redick and Tommy Alter discussed whether Luka Doncic is poised to overtake Kevin Durant as the world’s best player this year.

Both Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic have had a stupendous run in basketball over the past few months. Luka led the Mavericks to a 5th-seeded finish in the Western Conference – 2 spots better than last year.

They faced the Clippers in the playoffs once again, and were this time eliminated in 7 games. But before Kawhi and Paul George put the series away, they couldn’t stop Luka from dropping a flabbergasting 35 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists per game.

There were times when even these All-Defensive Team talents were put on skates by the Slovenian sensation. Doncic could legitimately have led the Mavericks past the Clippers if he had better offensive help. Or a better defensive lineup around him, for that matter.

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Kevin Durant, meanwhile, has been the world’s best player for a couple of years now. Fans of LeBron James might have a few things to say about this statement. Giannis’ faction of Bucks fanatics will have a few questions to pose, as well as Steph Nation.

But the truth of the matter is that the Slim Reaper is a cheat code of a basketball player. One would’ve thought that his prime had been cut short by an Achilles tear, but he’s come back as good as ever.

In his last 20 healthy playoff games, Durant has proved to everyone that he’s here to stay. He averaged a mind-boggling 36 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.8 dimes on 51/42/88 shooting splits in those games.

“Luka Doncic will get there, but Kevin Durant is still the best player in the world”: Tommy Alter

JJ Redick was back in his studio for another edition of ‘The Old Man and the Three’ podcast. Co-host Tommy Alter discussed with him a few mailbag questions in addition to his plans as a free agent.

One of the questions floated around was regarding whether Luka Doncic has it in him to upstage KD this year. Neither JJ nor Alter wasted much time beating around the bush.

“I’m playing golf with a few hedge fund guys these days. And every time they’re asking me who the best player is, who’s the best to plan your franchise around and such things.”

“And inevitably, Kevin’s name comes up, and I’m just like ‘He doesn’t count!’ He just doesn’t count cuz he’s a cheat code and there’s no one on planet earth that can do what he does as efficiently as he does it. He’s a video game.”

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