“Kevin Durant is not a Top 5 NBA player”: When Max Kellerman unbelievably placed Giannis and Harden above the Nets superstar in NBA’s top 5 players

Arjun Julka | 11/06/2021
"Kevin Durant is not a Top 5 NBA player": When Max Kellerman unbelievably placed Giannis and Harden above the Nets superstar in NBA's top 5 players

ESPN analyst Max Kellerman in a 2019 throwback episode of First Take, calls Giannis Antetokounmpo a better player than Kevin Durant.

Max Kellerman has often been the end of the wrath of the basketball world. Due to his controversial statements and analytics. A case in point being calling the Greek Freak a better player than Durant.

Kellerman added by saying that he does not consider Durant as a top 5 NBA player as well. This clearly sent Stephen A. Smith, who was at the other end of the panel in a state of disbelief.

Kellerman had the likes of Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard ahead of the 4x scoring champion Durant.

Also Read: “Ayo Bruce Brown what is wrong with you?”: LeBron James can’t believe that Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant didn’t take the Nets’ crucial shot in Game 3

Clash of the former league MVP’s Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo

There is no denying that both KD and Giannis are some of the best players in the world. Their resume speaks for itself.

Durant is a 2x NBA champion and Finals MVP, who is also one of the most prolific scorers the league has ever seen. KD is one of the most efficient players there is in the NBA today. A wingspan of 7’5″, KD has one of the best mid-range games in the league.

Giannis on the other hand is a former back-to-back league MVP and 2020 Defensive Player of the Year. The Greek Freak’s ability to dominate in the paint is something that the league hasn’t witnessed since Shaquille O’ Neal.

Thus while comparing the two superstars, Kellerman even went on to say that Giannis “reminded him of a young Jordan” and, if the Greek Freak developed a 3-point shot, he could be the G.O.A.T.

Kellerman’s explanation for having Giannis over Durant was, the Greek Freak was more efficient than Durant during the regular season and was not part of a super-team like the Golden State Warriors.

Also Read: “Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton had nearly 80% of Milwaukee’s points”: Bucks superstars make NBA Playoff history in Game 3 against Kevin Durant and co.

In a recent episode of First Take, Stephen A. Smith exposed Max Kellerman by playing a throwback video of him picking Giannis over Durant by the end of which Kellerman accepted he was wrong.

Post Edited By: Amulya Shekhar
Giannis Antetokounmpo Kevin Durant Max Kellerman Milwaukee Bucks

About the author

Arjun Julka

Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. Basketball isn’t just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. When it comes to the GOAT debate, the TSR author feels LeBron James is yet to receive a lot of his due but cannot deny marveling at Michael Jordan’s resume.

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