Kevin Durant says that there’s no comparison between Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Kevin Durant has always been one of the most quotable players in the game. From asking who would want to look at graphs to talking hoops with random folks on Twitter to every interaction he’s had with Kendrick Perkins, Durant is one of the open and honest stars in today’s game.
Recently, he talked about the everlasting Greatest of All Time debate featuring Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan and future Hall of Famer LeBron James.
While Durant has had his fair share of successes and failures against James, he recognizes that James is one of the best players the game has ever seen. He also acknowledges Jordan as a phenomena that will never be seen again. And interestingly enough, he doesn’t think the two should be compared.
"“It’s not like Jordan is one and [LeBron] is two, it’s just like ya’ll both done something we’ve never seen before,” Durant said via Boardroom. “When you see everyone in the same room like that, you realize like why the hell are we always comparing these guys like they gonna play against each other? Like, MJ will never play against LeBron in a game, so it’s no need for us to compare their careers. It’s just what you prefer.“When you look at what they’ve done, it’s some unbelievable [explicit] from both of them. That transcends the game of basketball. I’ve heard people say, ‘You’re the LeBron of this,’ so he’s in that realm too. He worked his way up to being that.”"
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Kevin Durant doesn’t want to hear any LeBron James-Michael Jordan comparisons.
Jordan and James have been compared since James’ rookie season. As James’ career continues to flourish, the comparisons continue to intensify. James himself made his case for the GOAT title following his 3-1 comeback to win the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors in addition to chasing down a number of all-time records.
"“At that moment, I was like ‘I’m the greatest basketball people have ever seen.’ In all facets,” James said in an interview with Kenny Smith. “I can play the one through five, I can guard one though five. … [I] did something that’s never been done in the history of the sport.”"
That series, along with his continued longevity, make a great case. Jordan, however, has the ultimate trump card in the case of GOAT. Being a prolific scorer in an extremely physical era is one thing, but to go 6-0 in the NBA Finals in any era is unheard of. Jordan played in over 90% of his regular season and playoff contests in an era where nutrition wasn’t a course requirement in 75% of medical schools and workout routines weren’t as rigid and prominent as they are today. The man was ahead of his time.
Durant is right to say the two are in a realm of their own. Different successes. Different games. Different legacies.