Kevin Durant is averaging a solid 30 points per game this season, at the ripe old age of 34. There is still no secret to stopping the slim reaper and he has cemented his legacy as an all-time great. But more than that, the real acclaim is that he is proud of his words of encouragement from his peers.
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KD is the kind of player that thrives off of words. Give him vitriol and he will cook you. Give him support and he will play like the best on the planet. There is often no debate that when he is in form, he is the best. There is no solution to guarding him.
It is this skillset, the blend of moves and a seemingly impossible ability to get a basket anytime he wants, that makes him so lethal. So much so that almost everyone from Michael Jordan to his peer LeBron James has praised him for his game.
Kevin Durant derives his strength from Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s words
“It still gives me chills to this day. I play for that validation from my peers… For them to give me that respect—that’s like a championship to me.”
Kevin Durant contemplates on what Michael Jordan’s, Kobe’s & other NBA greats’ praise meant to him.pic.twitter.com/cS9N3NsPca
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) December 22, 2022
Kevin Durant was asked by Jamal Crawford about the validation and praise that NBA legends often shower him. And his response is quite the answer.
Durant says, “It still gives me chills to this day. I play for that validation from my peers… For them to give me that respect—that’s like a championship to me.”
Words of encouragement can forge a player. And we think every time Durant hears praise, he derives strength from it.
He has received strong praise from the likes of Micahel Jordan, who put him in discussions for the best player in the league all the way back in 2013. And from Kobe Bryant, who referred to him as “the toughest player to guard”.
Also read: Dennis Rodman Was Once Accused Of $42,000 In Unpaid Taxes Despite Receiving $43,000 From The State
Kevin Durant’s all-time resume is thanks to support from his peers
Durant has also received critical support from peers like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. Both of whom are on the top 10 of the all-time scoring leaderboard.
KD is expected to breach that list and climb up a few spots. Expectations are that he will break the 30,000 points mark.
And given the support he gets from everyone and a game that refuses to waver despite the league’s constant evolution, we wouldn’t be surprised to see him reach that in the next 2 years.
2 championships, 2 Finals MVPs, and being in the top 10 scoring list? All-Time.
