Discussing Kevin Durant's place in NBA history is a complex task. He's an enigmatic player and person whose career has been a winding road that's now made it to a fifth franchise. No one knows how to value his two championships as a Warrior with the most stacked team of all-time, but he's clearly one of the best players to ever lace them up.
Durant is also the consummate basketball fan. He loves the game more than anything else and gives more insight into his opinions on its history more often than most superstar players, especially those currently playing. Whatever you want to say about KD's social media antics or team-switching habits, his basketball takes are genuine and should be listened closely to.
Recently, Durant was asked by Chris Henderson during an interview about his Mount Rushmore of small forwards. Henderson forced Kevin to include himself (and rightly so), which Durant sheepishly agreed to do. So, who are the other three SF's that cracked KD's list?
Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant Suns
First, let's talk about the man himself, Kevin Durant. It's unclear whether he would've included himself on the list by choice, as Durant has been known to prop himself up for his excellence, but he also respects the game and its history so much. Regardless, KD is certainly on the Small Forward Mount Rushmore. Anyone who says otherwise is biased against him.
Durant's main claim to fame is that he's arguably the best scorer of all-time. Only two small forwards have an argument as the top scorer at their position, and he's one of them. The Slim Reaper is the most efficient volume-scoring SF in league history, averaging 27.2 PPG (sixth all-time) on 62% true shooting (11th all-time) through 17 seasons.
KD hasn't shown any signs of slowing down as a scorer, even as he enters his age-37 campaign. Durant was as effective as ever last season on the woebegone Phoenix Suns, posting 26.6 points a night on an absurd 64.2% true shooting mark. As insane as it seems, Durant has surpassed 25 points a game and 60% TS in fourteen straight seasons. How does he do it?
Well, the new Houston Rocket has a game that is both ageless and viciously reliable. He's six-foot-eleven and has one of the purest shooting strokes we've seen, enabling him to shoot over contesting defenders like they're not even there. The ease at which he gets off his jumper should continue for years to come, whether it's off the dribble or off the catch.
While Durant's overall game has declined slowly since his 2019 Achilles injury, he's still an effective and versatile defender. He's also a solid playmaker and rebounder, and is generally considered the best plug-and-play superstar in league history. Durant is both unguardable one-on-one and also fits seamlessly with every team he joins.
LeBron James
Team USA LeBron James Kevin Durant
Durant's first choice after himself is the most obvious one, LeBron James. King James is considered by many to be the greatest player of all-time, and is easily the best small forward ever. No one knows it better than Durant himself, who has competed against James for almost two decades at this point.
KD and LeBron spent the entirety of the 2010s wrestling for the top spot, as both of them were unanimous top-two players for most of it. James got the better of Durant for most of the decade, but KD did beat him in the 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals, staking his claim as the best player in the world.
What is there to say about LeBron James? He's played for 22 seasons and shows no signs of stopping, still at an All-NBA level. He's made 21 All-Star and All-NBA teams, is a four-time league MVP, and a four-time champion and Finals MVP. His career average of 27.0 points per game ranks eighth all-time.
James' GOAT case stems from a few different achievements: he's the most durable player ever, arguably the greatest passer ever, has sustained greatness better than anyone, and is the best clutch playoff performer that we've seen. He's been at the top of the league since the mid-2000s, and isn't slowing down anytime soon.
Simply put, James is the most versatile, well-rounded player to ever step on a floor. He's done it for over two decades now.
Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard Clippers
The only somewhat controversial choice Durant makes is choosing Kawhi Leonard. Many would argue for others in this spot, such as Scottie Pippen, Elgin Baylor, or Julius Erving. Don't get it twisted: Leonard is more than deserving of this honor. However, his checkered injury history has prevented him from amassing statistics that these other legends have been able to.
Nonetheless, Kawhi is on this list for a reason, and it's not just because Durant has played against him in the postseason five different times. Leonard, when healthy, has been the fourth-best player in basketball in the 2010s era of the NBA. Yes, he's missed out on several playoff runs recently with nagging injuries, and is an extremely unreliable superstar.
However, when it's time to step on the floor, few players have been as great as Kawhi Leonard. Since becoming a star in the mid-2010s, Leonard was a dominant two-way SF, combining ruthless clutch shotmaking with lockdown defense, a model that thrives in the postseason.
Kawhi is just a six-time All-Star and All-NBA member, but he's won two Defensive Player of the Year awards, two championships, and two Finals MVPs. His 2019 playoff run, in which he averaged 30.5 points per game to carry the Toronto Raptors to a title, is one of the best in recent memory.
Larry Bird
Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
Another consensus member of the top-ten players of all-time, Larry Bird is a lock for the SF Mount Rushmore. Bird is best known for his influence on the NBA, helping bring the league out of the doldrums of the 1970s, or his trash-talking flair that endeared him to so many fans in the 1980s.
However, he's also just one of the best small forwards ever. Bird averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists on 49.6/37.6/88.6 splits, which were especially stellar for the era. He was one of the original three-point marksmen and do-it-all point forwards, showcasing impressive scoring chops, clever shotmaking, and savvy passing gifts.
Larry Legend won three titles, two Finals MVPs, three MVPs, and was a twelve-time All-Star.
Bird's 1986 Celtics were one of the greatest teams of all-time. His 1980s rivalry with Magic Johnson and the Showtime Lakers helped revive the NBA from a dormant state. He more than earned his spot on every all-time list.