Zach Lowe: Durant should finish as one of the Top 10 ever.

[tmacattack33]

Yeah, sure. Why not.



The NBA has been strong since around 1970 when it became fully integrated.

2014 - 1970 = 44 years.

We've seen 44 years of competitive bball...or 4 generations. So, there shoud be about 2 or 3 top 10 players in each generation. Durant is the second best player in this generation.

[ArbitraryWater]

I think that 10th spot is open.... In terms of tiers, I think there's a slight gap after 9, followed by Hakeem, then another slight gap and we get to West/Moses/Kobe/Oscar etc

... So, if KD really piles up on Rings WHILE being the overwhelming factor and dominating in the postseason, he has a small chance at passing Hakeem... Small.

Surely he should be headed top 20.

[ralph_i_el]

Dude's inferior to T-Mac and Melo and when he gets injured, suddenly he's top-10 all-time talent. Durant is lucky to even make it to the HoF.

obvious troll is obvious

[ralph_i_el]

Not true at all. All of those guys 7 years into their careers had a top 10 trajectory (pretty clearly) except maybe Hakeem but even he was a better player than current durant by that time.

Way too much premature crowning going on it seems. At least with Lebron before the titles it was due to him being possibly the most freakish athlete ever. Durant isn't THAT special and really hasn't set himself apart from second tier of greats like those you mentioned.

Am I taking crazy pills? Nobody has had his combination of length and shooting.

Led the NBA in scoring by his third season and has improved noticeably every season.
He's been an integral part of numerous top-5 defenses.

Leads a top offense that barely runs plays and plays numerous players who can't shoot or even hold on to the ball

We're out here comparing his resume to a bunch of guys who have already played a full career.

People are going to hate of him and say he can't reach that level. They'll hate on the next guy too.

[j3lademaster]

and halfway through all their careers people probably threw out top-10 lists and said the same shit (except for Wilt and Russell who played before anyone cared)

This. When MJ was Durant's age he was thought of as a selfish chucker who'd never win. Granted MJ didn't have a cast like Durant's at the time either.

[Timmy D for MVP]

What makes you think that?

The fact that:

MJ
Magic
Russell
Kareem
Bird
Wilt
Duncan
Shaq
Hakeem

are all better than Kobe. And Lebron certainly looks like he's going to vault a lot of them.

[Timmy D for MVP]

Durant wont have the nostalgia factor.

He won't have the nostalgia factor? You don't think you're gonna be talking about KD in the future?

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Am I taking crazy pills? Nobody has had his combination of length and shooting.

Led the NBA in scoring by his third season and has improved noticeably every season.
He's been an integral part of numerous top-5 defenses.

Leads a top offense that barely runs plays and plays numerous players who can't shoot or even hold on to the ball

We're out here comparing his resume to a bunch of guys who have already played a full career.

People are going to hate of him and say he can't reach that level. They'll hate on the next guy too.

Nobody is saying that he isn't insanely good at basketball. He likely goes down top 20. How on earth is that an insult? He just isn't better than anybody on that list.

[Cold soul]

The fact that:

MJ
Magic
Russell
Kareem
Bird
Wilt
Duncan
Shaq
Hakeem

are all better than Kobe. And Lebron certainly looks like he's going to vault a lot of them.

I feel Kobe better than those players in bold at least career wise. We can agree to disagree here there nothing wrong with you having those 9 above him though. Lebron is borderline top 10.

[Magic 32]

I think that 10th spot is open.... In terms of tiers, I think there's a slight gap after 9, followed by Hakeem, then another slight gap and we get to West/Moses/Lebron/Oscar etc

fixed.

[Magic 32]

If everything goes right for Durant, I can see him in the top 12.

1. MJ
2. Russell
3. Wilt
4. Kareem
5. Magic
6. Bird
7. Kobe
8. Duncan
9. Shaq
10 Hakeem
11 Durant
12. Lebron
13. Oscar

[Mr Feeny]

I feel Kobe better than those players in bold at least career wise. We can agree to disagree here there nothing wrong with you having those 9 above him though. Lebron is borderline top 10.

Strongly disagree here. Each and every one of these is comfortably ahead of Kobe imo. Lebron isn't just going to complete the top 10 either - he's likely to end up top 5 all time barring a drastic decrease in quality of play.

[Magic 32]

Strongly disagree here. Each and every one of these is comfortably ahead of Kobe imo. Lebron isn't just going to complete the top 10 either - he's likely to end up top 5 all time barring a drastic decrease in quality of play.

If Kobe joined the Spurs in 2004-05, would he be borderline top 5 by going 2-4 in the finals, just because he won 2 MVP's by default and averaged 27, 8, 8 in the regular season?

Lebron stacked the deck at the optimum time in his career (and in the history of the eastern conference) and still ended up looking utterly mortal.

It's just amazing how his calculated and spineless plan worked out to perfection for him.

[Crimsonrain777]

He has that potentially for sure I'd say, but the top 10 is getting pretty crowded...

i think players are gonna get kicked out of the top 11-20 then the new top 10=top 20. Or something like that

[Real14]

I don't know about that.