LeBron James might hold the title of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, but even the Lakers superstar has expressed admiration for Kevin Durant’s effortlessly smooth offensive game. Durant topped the league in scoring four times within his first seven seasons and hasn’t dipped below a 25-point average since his rookie year. With a rare blend of volume, elite efficiency, and the ability to score from virtually any spot on the floor, the former MVP stands out as a truly unique offensive force.
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LeBron, alongside Steve Nash, lauded the newest Houston Rocket’s offensive game during his appearance on Mind the Game. When Nash asked James if there was any other player in today’s game who could replicate KD’s knack for scoring at every level, the King was adamant that no one could compete with Durant’s efficiency.
The four-time champion couldn’t hide his admiration while talking about his guest’s efficiency with the ball, noting that Durant hasn’t shot below 50% from the field since 2012. Hitting over half your shots is expected for a big man who operates close to the basket, but for a three-level scorer like KD, it’s a remarkably impressive accomplishment.
LeBron shared that he’s a stickler for his own efficiency, but there isn’t a player who operates with more purpose as a scorer than Durant, in his eyes. “This guy, when it comes to three-level scorer, three-pointers, mid-range, below the Gary Payton area, below the Malone area and finishing. We haven’t had a scorer as equipped as KD in our league,” James said.
Nash echoed James’ sentiment, crediting Durant’s ability to make an impact with any action he runs. “I mean, add to it, pick and roll, with the ball, without the ball, catch and go, transition with the ball, catch and shoot, off the move, pin downs, nail. Literally this isn’t, I don’t think, a spot, an action or a style of play that [Durant] couldn’t be yourself,” the Suns legend added.
LeBron acknowledged that Durant wasn’t always the complete player he is today. When the lanky 7-footer first made his way to the league, he was a one-dimensional scorer, a sensational talent who didn’t quite know how to operate with others. After a couple seasons playing at the game’s highest level, though, KD had added several new skills to his toolbox.
“That was the main thing, wanting to expand my game,” Durant said of his growth as a player. “If I could think about my first 20 games in the league, I felt like I was just catching and shooting. A lot of it was catch and shoot threes, catch and shoot mid-ranges. I was playing fast … That was my game, just shooting, you know what I’m saying, at that point.”
Without much upper body strength or familiarity with the pick-and-roll game, Durant admitted to relying too much on his jump shot. He’d often just try to shoot over his defenders, a reasonable strategy considering his frame, but it didn’t lead to an efficient rookie year for the future Hall of Famer.
“I think I started to figure out the pace of the game, understanding the pick-and-roll, I was getting more pin downs,” KD continued. “And when I was coming off pick-and-rolls earlier in the season, I was just shooting. And I’m looking at my teammates faces like, ‘D**n, he was open.'”
“So I just started to understand my teammates more and the game more, and I wanted to be trusted in every situation on the offensive side of the ball.”
Since his rookie season, the 15-time All-Star has faced little competition as the most feared scorer in the association. It may have taken the two-time champion a bit of time to identify the adjustments he needed, but Durant still adapted to the pace of the NBA faster than most.
