Continuing with our top 25 player rankings we arrive at Kevin Durant. The long-time superstar and one of the best scorers the league has ever seen. Durant’s elite skill-set combined with his incredible size and agility makes him a truly special player.
Top 25 NBA players 2023-24: No. 5 Kevin Durant
A Historic Offensive Talent
Durant has been a star since entering the league in 2007 and has incredibly sustained his success over the past 15 seasons. One thing that’s abundantly clear about Durant is that he is a special offensive talent. At 6’10 with incredible agility, Durant is an elite three-level scoring and shot-creator. Durant’s deadly combination of elite scoring abilities with elite size and agility makes him one of the most gifted offensive talents of all time. Durant’s ability to hit shots from all areas of the court with his elite size makes him one of the hardest players to guard in the league. With many arguing this skill set makes Durant the best pure scorer of all time. Durant also has incredible off-ball play and fits like a glove on any team. Furthermore, Durant is a high-impactful and versatile defensive player. Durant also impacts through his rebounding and playmaking.
Season Recap
After requesting a trade last summer Durant rescinded his request before the season started and returned to the Nets. In January the Nets were 2nd in the East and were poised to be a championship-level team under KD. Similarly, Durant was having an MVP-level season with incredible scoring and efficiency on one of the league’s best teams. However, Durant would go down with a knee injury in January and the Nets began to slip. In February due to contract negotiations, co-star Kyrie Irving demanded a trade and was swiftly traded to the Mavericks before the deadline. This led KD to privately request another trade he was ultimately dealt to the Suns.
Durant struggled with an ankle injury after being traded to the Suns and only played in eight regular-season games. However, when he did play Durant produced good numbers and fit nicely with Devin Booker. The Suns won their first playoff series against the short-handed Clippers. Before falling to the eventual champions Nuggets in the second round. Durant had a productive playoff run averaging 29 PPG, 8 RPG, and 5 APG with incredible scoring efficiency.
Season Outlook
This off-season, the Suns doubled down on their star power by trading for Bradley Beal. The Suns now have an elite trio of shot-creators and scorers with incredible offensive upside. This move makes Phoenix a true championship contenders. Giving Durant a great chance to win his 3rd title at 35 years old. The Suns also hired head coach Frank Vogel and traded for Jusuf Nurkic which are two intriguing moves.
Durant’s production has remained elite despite his injuries and advanced age. However, health remains a massive concern for Durant. Since returning from an Achilles injury in 2020 Durant has appeared in 137 out of a possible 236 games. Dealing with various lower body injuries in the process. The Suns don’t need Durant for all 82 regular season games or even 50 games for that matter. However, to compete for a title Durant must stay healthy in the postseason. Health is the only major question for Durant. Regardless, his sustained greatness along with Phoenix’s support system around him gives me confidence that Durant can overcome the health obstacle.
The Last Word On Kevin Durant
Ultimately, Durant is an all-time talent and a true basketball legend. At 35 years old Durant is in a unique position. On one hand, he is perfectly positioned to win another title in his prime which would further elevate his legacy and ranking. Conversely, with his age and injury history, it’s also possible Durant’s best years are behind him and there’s only a limited time where he’s viewed as a superstar. Regardless, Durant is an incredible player with the ultimate skill set and offensive gifts.
