Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Minnesota Timberwolves
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Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena on January 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
NBA legend Kevin Durant is still playing at an All-Star level for the Houston Rockets today, but his career is clearly winding down due to his age. Almost two decades in the league have confirmed that Durant will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer once he demands to hang it up. However, Durant has a unique scenario where he isn’t particularly tied to a specific franchise nor is he loved by a single fan base to the typical level of a Hall of Famer.
A recent Twitter exchange showed Durant replying to a fan about his future Hall of Fame induction. Most players have an obvious team they will wear the jersey to represent that franchise on the big day. Durant flat out said he doesn’t want to get inducted wearing a jersey for the Golden State Warriors or Oklahoma City Thunder.
The entire exchange ended with Durant saying he hopes to get inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame while wearing a Team USA jersey. Durant broke the record for most Olympic gold medals won by a single basketball player with four. Carmelo Anthony and Durant were tied for three gold medals until Durant won another with Team USA in 2024.
Durant Doesn’t Want Oklahoma City Statue
The conversation started with Durant replying to fans regarding the topic about the Thunder potentially building a statue for him. Retired players like Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade have received statues at the venues for their respective franchises over the past decade.
Durant does have a chance in theory to get one with Oklahoma City as a former MVP and a superstar who spent nearly a decade with the franchise. However, KD accepts the reality that his accolades and relationship with the franchise will likely prevent it.
The Thunder winning the NBA Championship and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander achieving more than KD hurts Durant’s chances at a statue. However, Oklahoma City retiring Durant’s jersey has a stronger chance since he’s clearly among the best players in franchise history.
This Exposes Kevin Durant’s Biggest Weakness
Durant has played high level basketball long enough to get consideration for the top 15 players of all time. Unfortunately, his inability to find a true NBA home will likely hurt him from having a realistic chance at the elusive top 10 all-time great NBA players.
Other players on his level are beloved by at least one and sometimes two franchises. Durant has left all four former franchises on negative notes and only has so much time left with the Rockets. An NBA Championship for Houston could make that his top NBA home, despite spending more time in Golden State and Oklahoma City.
Players bouncing around the NBA from team to team will encounter this issue when they retire. Durant has prioritized ring chasing, but it may lead to fewer jersey retirements and no fan base embracing his Hall of Fame induction. Team USA being KD’s first pick for a Hall of Fame jersey shows he understands this dilemma and is content with his complicated legacy.