Kevin Durant will undoubtedly go down as one of the most talented scorers and best forwards to play in the NBA, whenever he chooses to hang up his sneakers for the last time.
Durant's list of accolades is long and impressive, punctuated by a MVP award, two Finals MVPs, 11 All-NBA selections and two NBA titles; not to mention the 15 All-Star selections, four NBA scoring titles and being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
The Slim Reaper's scoring prowess has him eighth on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 30,571 — 848 points behind Wilt Chamberlain. It's very likely that the 36-year-old will continue to climb up the leaderboard before the end of his career.
For all the talking he does on the court with his exceptional play over the years, Durant has never been shy to speak his mind off the hardwood either, often going viral with soundbites from interviews or social media posts.
Whether he's defending himself against haters and trolls, or giving his opinion on some of his NBA superstar peers, KD is as good a quote as you can get in the world of professional sports.
Back in 2017, during a Q&A with fans on his YouTube channel, Durant labeled a then-budding superstar as having the potential to be "the best player to ever play if he really wanted to."
Durant Once Said Giannis Antetokounmpo Could End Up Being the GOAT
"I've never seen anything like him"
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In 2017, Durant said Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had the potential to be the best player the sport had ever seen.
"The Greek Freak, I think, is a force. I've never seen anything like him," Durant said during the YouTube Q&A. "His ceiling is probably ... he could end up being the best player to ever play if he really wanted to. That's pretty scary to think about. He's by far my favorite player to watch."
At the time, a 22-year-old Antetokounmpo had just completed his fourth NBA season, and had become only the fourth player in NBA history to lead his team in points (22.9), rebounds (8.8), assists (5.4), blocks (1.9) and steals (1.6).
The Greek international won the NBA Most Improved Player award that season, and finished seventh in MVP voting (Russell Westbrook won the award that year). Antetokounmpo also earned All-NBA Second Team and Second Team All-Defense honors after that stellar campaign.
The 2016-17 season marked the first of Giannis' nine consecutive All-Star appearances as well.
The Greek Freak Has Taken Over the NBA
Antetokounmpo has become a top-5 player in The Association
While including Giannis Antetokounmpo in GOAT debates might be a stretch, there's no doubt that the Bucks icon has lived up to the hype bestowed upon him by Durant and others.
Antetokounmpo has evolved into one of the most dominant and imposing players the NBA has ever seen, impacting play at an elite level on both ends of the court.
Giannis Antetokounmpo - Career NBA Stats
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The 30-year-old has accumulated an impressive haul of trophies and awards, winning an NBA Championship with Milwaukee in 2021 and earning NBA Final MVP honors along the way. He won back-to-back MVP awards in 2018-19 and 2019-20, Defensive Player of the Year in 2019-20, and has been voted to All-NBA teams nine times.
In 2021, Antetokounmpo was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, honoring the 75-best players in the history of the league.
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