I’m my opinion, Curry became what Durant could have been. I think we all expected Durant to have the career Curry has. Loved by everyone ( Before leaving OKC everyone loved him ) a bunch of rings ( That team with Westbrook was always competitive and even made it to the finals, almost beat GSW in their 73 win season etc.
He did have a chance. I literally said during his MVP run why not. Why can’t this guy be the best to ever do it. I was amazed at how he played that season. It’s unfortunate. Bad teammates, injuries, and bad decisions limited his career. Still a top 15 player with a chance to rise but top 5 is likely out of the picture.
This video made me tear up man. There were times in my life where I didnt even want to get out of bed but knowing that KD had a game that day motivated me to get up. His passion, his work ethic, his compassion and selflessness in how he plays the game. Special
honestly if KD would have done it the right way he would be looked at much more highly now. just look at how ppl treat Kawhi vs KD. and Kawhi only had one run as the man where he led a team to the championship and he was talked about like he was Jordan in 2019. its since died down bc of injuries but when hes healthy he still commands a great deal of respect and every now and then you can feel that jordan aura (like the first two games in round 1 vs phx last year). if KD just stayed in OKC or signed with literally any other team in 2016 and won even just one championship, which he definitely would have won at least one from 2017-2019 then he would be respected so much more now with his two GSW rings.
the thing with kawhi that helps is he absolutely hates superteams, he may not love playing the game as much as KD, but he wouldn't do things as despicable as KD would, especially forming his own superteam, I wish to this day KD won with OKC in 2016, it was so close, it would have changed the way basketball today is played
He was still on timing up until 2016 where he blew that 3-1 lead vs the 73-9 warriors. Imagine he won against Curry and then beat Prime Lebron, that would have KD in the could-be goat discussion
In the goat convo or not, I still enjoy watching Durant play. He still has 2, maybe 3 years of elite basketball in him. Hope he wins a chip as the main guy before he retires.
When I saw KD playing in his early days I was like this guy is the most gifted scorer I ever seen. Super long , smooth jumper, scoring anywhere on the floor, super quick and had amazing ball handling etc . We would be debating about if KD in goat discussion right now if he had the mentality of jordan/Kobe
I mean mans was about to go 3 for 3 with golden state. His 1st real szn with the Nets - he almost took down the soon to be champs without Kyrie or Harden not playing the last three games. He's special but he's got a lot of time left
“Without Kyrie or Harden”….. 😂 just listen to that my guy. 💀Insane without KYRIE or HARDEN? Bruh… EVERYBODY is without kyrie and harden😂 that’s not normal….? Or super impressive? The team starting 5 was mostly top hall of famers… take some away and they’re almost a normal team… and still 😅 We’re saying “almost”… he almost did something… with that lineup… like that was chip or bust. 😂
Hey man these videos are way too high of quality for your subscriber count. Keep going I promise you're gonna only get more attention as the actual season starts up. As a new fan to the game of basketball stuff like this that allows me to learn a bit about the history of the league is so valuable. Straight up - thank you
You are underrated your constantly is great u make top tier content and I still have less than 2000 subs but I feel like that’s gonna change sooner or later and your gonna get massive amounts of subscribers
There'll forever be a debate of who was more unlucky. Bron for being drafted by cavs, or KD for getting left with Westbrook a player that can never play winning winninfull basketball
If u think he couldnt be da goat just look at them stats when he was 20 man was shooting 42 percent from 3 is crazy especially b4 curry changed the game
Respect to the clippers man. They right they couldn’t guard him, but they also had to worry about to of the best shooters to ever live at the same time
Still Nobody can score like KD. I love Jordan but he damn sure ain’t pullin up from 30 with no hesitation like Durant and don’t even get me started on the middy as lethal as Jordan was he wasn’t efficient like How Kd is, Kd really out here gettin 40 points on 15-20 shots that’s not easy my guy. Even then you got a Player with legit center height, Ball handling skills of a Point Guard, and he shoots lights out like he’s a Shooting Guard. Accolades or not who’s Stopping that? Cmon mane put some respect on Kevin Durant 💯
Jordan is 1st all time in PPG and PER in the regular season and playoffs. The most efficient scorer of all time in a much lower scoring era. Durant is 9th in PER and 6th in PPG. Certainly elite but there is no case to be made for him being a better or more efficient scorer than jordan.
Great video for a great player and an even greater prospect. To tell a little story myself, I first saw KD with the US national team early in his career with Russ etc and first, I noticed his name had an elegant ring to it and then that all those young players were very very talented, D-Rose etc. Great generation. A couple years later, I would still hear his name, without really following the NBA and I saw an interview of his, stating by himself that his ultimate goal is to be ''the best ever''. I was like: ''Is he reallysaying that? Is he crazy? After Jordan, after Kobe etc". But it made an impression on me, that this fairly young player, who obviously had a hype around him believed that he was coming for them. So all of the following years, it was obvious he was backing it up, it was obvious he meant it and definitely became my favourite new player, 'cause of his game and what he could do. All up to to those Conference finals against the Warriors. I again wasn't following the NBA too closely but I knew what these new Warriors and the new kids' favorite, Steph Currry, were doing, so to see the Durant-led OKC having them on the ropes was a confirmation for me and for everybody that they and he had arrived. I could already see them becoming a household franchise, becoming established like the Bulls and making that nice blue jersey a favorite one. I don't know exactly what went south from there, but I mean, KD I gues became much more calculative after that, made his choices mainly for post-career-fame reasons and while he of course is a magnificent fantastic player, the fact that he is calculating every move since then based on what results it is going to give him and how much ''easier'' it is going to be for him to win (of course contributing greatly) has been a kid of a turn off, and finally a reason to not consider him one of the 4 - 5 greatest players. At least, not yp to this point. Still a great great player. Great video, again. Thanks.
Goofy ahh mfkers he’s still a top player. Y’all just mad because he went with a wining team while you bums were doing the same but couldn’t pull it off
Durant and LeBron stunted their growth by joining super teams. Neither of them tapped into next level greatness because they took the easy way out. They’ve played a combined 38 years of professional basketball and only got 6 total rings.
@@yea3702 Naw bruh. 2008 they lost by 5 points to the eventual champion Celtics in game 7. Then back to back years 2009 & 2010 the Cavs won 61 & 66 games and didn’t even make it to the Finals. LeBron quit on that 2010 team. Excuses.
How? He doesn't have good enough defense to ever get to the top 5. Jordan was a slightly better scorer, and a way better defender, and he doesn't have the playmaking skills to make up for it. Same thign with lebron. Offensively KD is a better scorer, but he isn't as good of a playmaker and not near dpoy level lebron. Obviously he's super underrated, but that's too far.
Yeah against celtics not against bron and kyrie, that was clear years before, also if that would be true then why was curry draymond and klay getting their private jets ready to fly out to kd and convince him?
I'm a huge LeBron fan but this guy is the number 1 talent EVER. He checks all the attributes a player needs with crazy size and reach, his defense is underrated AF and no one can guard him. That GSW move was bad for us the viewers, thank God for that draymond fight because, how many rings could've curry and Durant won together?
I don't see how joining the warriors is a bad decision, it certainly damaged his legacy but he won 2 rings and 2 final mvps and got to play some of the greatest basketball we've ever seen. He got to be apart of a dynasty and knowing him he treasures quality of basketball above all else and joining the warriors satisfied that desire.
KDs individual play and longevity has been plenty to be considered in the GOAT discussion with Lebron and MJ. People just don’t respect the move to golden state. If he wins in 2016 and beats the 73-9 warriors and then stays in OKC and wins a few more rings there, he would definitely be considered unanimous number 3 all time and in the GOAT discussion with Lebron and MJ. Outside of media narratives he is absolutely on par with Lebron and MJ. There was a time when Lebron was in his absolute prime that some analysts were saying KD was the better player.
Until Durant wins a ring without chasing a superteam, he can have my respect. My man made the most cowardly decision in NBA History by joining the team he blew a 3-1 lead to.
Bro when I seen KD play at Texas I told all my homies. “ He’s gonna be better than Jordan.. he’s too nice” I was watching him play the other night he’s just an amazing basketball player. Ik technically #’s wise Jokic is the best but there’s only 1 KD man . Skill off the charts!
If KD had ignored the critics and just stayed in Golden State and came back from an Achillies injury and won 3 of the next 4 Championships he'd essentially be in the discussion. Think about it. The Warriors wouldn't have had KD or Klay the next season, they lost Steph to injury, they still got their top 3 pick. They'd have added that pick + Poole, Kuminga, etc etc etc Difference is they wouldn't have Wiggins they'd have KD, but they'd also have their draft picks. So essentially, Klay, Steph and KD would have returned the same season. If they kept winning Championships those following seasons? KD would be at 5 rings, Steph would be at 6. They'd be going for their 7th and 6th this season. But he went to Brooklyn instead, and we saw how that turned out. Legit think they'd have won the title the year Kyrie got hurt, but that's another What If. But KD in leaving and Steph winning a title without him has put Steph in the position KD would have been in as far as legacy goes if KD had stayed.
KD has the mental fortitude of a child, did everyone legitimately think that someone who pretends to be a fan so he could reply to another fan about himself, is gonna have the mental fortitude or strength to break the top 5 NBA players? Too many youngsters forget that performance is as much mental as it is physical.
I don't know about the GOAT torch. That's Jordan's torch to hold until a worthy player comes along, goes through the grind, trials and tribulations and impresses the masses as a whole enough to get 60+ percent of fans to agree that he's the GOAT. However, the NBA face of the league torch is supposed to be passed on every 10-15 or so years from one or two players to the next one or two players. Which you could say was passed from Michael to Kobe/Duncan to LeBron or LeBron/Steph.
To me it’s always been a new face every 5 or so years where they share it first with the previous for a few years then with the next. Jordan came during and after magic/bird. Kobe/Duncan came during and after Jordan. Lebron came during/after Kobe/Duncan. Curry came during lebron (lebron ain’t done yet lmao)
@@GiovaniDeJesus not as face he isn’t. He might be out of the tip top player conversation but he’s the most famous player still playing without a doubt
Maybe this is off topic but I’m just glad you guys are calling it the Kobe/Duncan era. Because I swear Duncan never gets his dues, I always put Kobe and Duncan around the same place all time. Just like what other people do with Magic and Bird.
The guy has proved time and time again, super team after super team, he can't win without Curry, Curry has a much better goat argument at this point and he's also definitely not the goat
Same here.. i did think he will be the next one to dominate.. in his best year he's arguably on par if not slightly above Lebron.. i was thinking he will inherit the league from lebron its only a matter of time
My only issue with this is where you said "a ring is still a ring and kd has 2." That's the whole crux of the issue. He doesn't have two rings, or they're made of tin. The warriors were already the greatest regular season team of all time and then you go ahead and throw KD on top of them + they faced subpar competition in the finals in 2018 after the cavs had been gutted of talent post kyrie Irving trade. Of course those rings are less valuable, of course people criticize KD for choosing golden state of all teams to join. Of course he's looked at as less than Steph and Lebron since both those guys have one without a costar as good as KD. He's an incredible person and his MVP speech brings me to tears everytime but it's no question that he did irreparable damage to his legacy by joining golden state.
The NBA counts it as a legitimate championship so it is, no matter how anyone feels it’s in the record books. Facts and opinions because of feelings are two different things
I am not suggesting it isn't officially a championship in the record books. You're completely right. I am stating that in my opinion and in the opinions of MANY others they are very weak or damn near illegitimate championships because of how stacked the warriors were and the poor competition they faced in 2018 especially. I am quite literally stating my opinion based on how I feel about the situation was that not obvious?@@demetriousstephens1998
Yo. You make so much sense. Bill Russel has 11 rings. They are legitimite rings counted by NBA. So he the goat. MJ,Lebrom,KD,Steph all trash. Don't try to defend your opinions, because it is in the records. Do u see how stupid u sound? 😂@@demetriousstephens1998
By that logic we should also evaluate Robert Horry's rings the same way we evaluate Jordan's rings, which just doesn't add up. You might argue these are two different cases; however, I'd say there has to be contexts to championships and not in terms of numbers alone.
The goat contention probably won’t be breached, the only realistic contenders are Jordan and LeBron with a few honorable mentions like Magic, Kareem and Kobe. KD isn’t the goat not because he isn’t good but just because the peak was increased impossibly high by MJ and LeBron, I’ll put it like this there are realistically only 15 people EVER who have existed than can say that they’d have a worse career if they traded their career achievements in the NBA and to me that’s all you can really ask for, having your name cemented in history and forever remembered.
@@TheGrimFiend no ik but I’m talking about how he isn’t the GOAT but still is a legendary player and one of the greatest scorers to ever touch a basketball
Correction, it went from Jordan’s league to Kobe’s league to Lebron. Idk why Lebron fans stay disrespecting Kobe’s legacy by intentionally excluding him from the goat conversation.
Not enough on defense and too injury-prone, but i get the sentiment. I still half think if he got drafted to the Celtics he would've been a mega legend. Had some thin-skin moments though so maybe not. So talented.
This just isn’t true… he realistically was never going to surpass MJ and the NBA world are generally idiots for the amount of criticism he got for being a good player joining a good team. He was the best player on that team remember. 2 finals MVPs would not be considered damaging to anyone else’s legacy.
I agree he was never gonna surpass MJ, but to be one of the best. He’s not top 10, and Curry was always the best player on GSW, he’s just selfless and gave the keys to his bus to KD. He proved he always was when he won the chip without him in ‘22.
If curry even reaches the final it could be considered his league. 2015-2019 finals appearances, 2022 and imagine 2024. If he wins this year it’s his era. 5 rings like Kobe Tim Duncan 🫰🫰. Curry is a top 10 nba player ever!! Someone make room!!
curry is still one of the best players in the league rn, tho the rest of that warriors team is too painfully mediocre for them to realistically make another finals run
the jones fracture crippled his athleticism, he tore his achilles, countless mcl tears. Still here giving people buckets when most player's careers would be ended
The level of preparation is crazy “In 5 years” … “these names mean nothing to you now” Bro he was talking to a young NBA star about HS freshmen & sophomores or am I tripping cuz that’s wild lol
As a lebron fan, I will admit, ive NEVER, Been more afraid of another player than KEVIN DURANT in 2017 and 2018, curry may be a close 2nd, but I truly feared that man. Come crunch time I HATED and shook in my boots when he had the ball.
Kd is my goat if you take all the greats one on one Kd can cook them all. When it’s said and done you can’t say he doesn’t have rings. Yes it was the easy way out but he is what made them a lock and everyone knew it
He is probably the GOAT of international competitions. Now, to be honest, I do think NBA rings are more important because it's a season long efforts and best of seven is much more objective than best of one, but he should get more love from people from the US. In any other country people would give him a statue and love him more than players who had very little interest for the national team, which is almost every other player from the US, but to be fair also most high profile player from any other country. I don't think KD should get a statue, but at least not as much hate. As far as his NBA career is concerned, I wonder if he stayed with Westbrook too long. He was in his prime before moving to GSW and while they were successful and Russ was pretty good, I wonder what could've been with a PG who has a good basketball IQ even if less athletic.
He still has it you making like he not is crazy a grown man can go too whatever and any team he wants I get that people get mad cause there team is trash back then I was a rockets fan I didn’t get mad like oh wow my team didn’t have a chance he a two time champion and he earned that a grown person making there own choice in life and not your choice if you want every one too be the same no
@@peltimies2469Bro what's your definition of main guy cause KD even in GSW was the best player over Curry without a doubt. Better offensive player, better defensive player. He's for sure not a Robin. He has always been the best player on every team he has been on.
Not tryna hate but… At 9:02 that’s not even a playoff game.. pretty sure that was like opening night, I mean it literally says premiere week lol. And at 11:30 that’s an interview when Cleveland played GS in the finals not 2012.. Lebron talks about how they were one of the best teams ever the year before… Not hating but some stuff is inaccurate.
I just thought about it but how much do players in the nba watch game film of other teams and players. In football it's every day during a week, but with how many games the nba has you have to do that nightly. I can tell kobe took his time, but he's an animal, literally the mamba, but how much do young players now a days do that is what I wonder because I don't hear them say stuff like that a lot in interviews or really ever
Man kd better than lbj cause he went toe to toe with lbj and won two straight titles like he was the reason the gsw won them two back to back titles and he took the first one from the defending champions like stop the bs kd is a true beast and a top 5 all time mj is the goat
