Kevin Durant and Michael Jordan are probably the 2 deadliest scorers of all time. Isiah Thomas believes the 2 could’ve had identical results in an interesting hypothetical.
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KD is the type of player who probably views the entire court as his own scoring zone. Indeed, this is a 6’10”, 6’11” forward who’s able to maintain a loose, yet stable handle, and pull up from 30 feet out while lulling defenders to sleep with a slight hesi fake.
But what makes him a truly transcendent basketball player, among his many qualities, is his utter selflessness. KD almost hesitates to take more shots than he feels are necessary to win. In his mind, his team plays best when he’s motoring along and facilitating them with his playmaking.
That’s how he’s gone from a player who won 4 scoring titles in 5 years to a lower volume at Golden State. However, he’s getting a higher usage rate at Brooklyn again now.
KD was due for his 5th scoring title before injury sent those hopes up in flame. In Isiah Thomas’ eyes however, the 2-time NBA champion’s legacy is absolutely in the pantheon already.
Isiah Thomas says Kevin Durant, like Michael Jordan, could’ve gone 6-0 in the 1990s
The 2-time NBA champion and 1989 NBA Finals MVP was a recent guest on KD’s ETCs podcast. Zeke was his bubbly, energetic self, and he also appeared to use this opportunity to push forth some of his rather hot takes.
One of those was regarding how KD could’ve been undefeated in the NBA Finals during the 90s. He brought the conversation to this juncture by narrating one of his own conversations with an NBA TV colleague:
“If you put Kevin Durant in the triple post. And he gets to post up like Michael Jordan posted up in the mid-range area. And he got to shoot it 30-35 times a night?”
“He’s just as good a foul shooter. He’s the taller player. You put Scottie (Pippen), Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc, (John) Paxson, (Steve) Kerr, Craig Hodges, and we can’t double-team you in the mid-range, in the triple post? You win 6-0 too!”
Now, there’s absolutely no doubt that KD has the skillset to be that dominant. However, Jordan also didn’t lose 3 straight games for 6 straight seasons. That level of mental fortitude screams alien – psychopath – whatever superlative you can grasp at. Matching that is a hell of an ask.
That, among hundreds of other reasons, is why Jordan is still a mythical GOAT sports figure.