Kevin Durant will be forgotten in time, and be eclipsed by players playing right now...and this is not an unprecedented phenomenon

[Sccit]

LEBRON IS NOT LEGITIMATELY IN GOAT CONVERSATIONS LOLLL

 

[Sccit]

^ FUNNY THIS GOT A LAUGH FROM 2 DIFFERENT PEOPLE FOR 2 TOTALLY DIFFERENT REASONS

 

[Mister Terrific]

LEBRON IS NOT LEGITIMATELY IN GOAT CONVERSATIONS LOLLL

*glass breaks*

“Oh sweet Jesus it’s the number one hater!”

 

[murksiderock]

I don't think it is even reasonable to place Durant over Larry Bird at this point. I fully believe Giannis and Jokic will eclipse his level of success completely, and the trajectory that the new class of players is going, he could be forgotten in time the way that Moses Malone and Dr J are like, myths to anyone my age or younger.

Has your perspective about Kevin Durant's career changed over the past few years?

To answer the last question, my perception never changed about Durant much. I guess a few years ago I considered him as pushing towards GOAT10 but I never saw him there, while there people, including NBA Media like Bill Simmons, who did entire podcasts about how Durant was already Top 10 three years ago...

Now, I dont see his Top 10 case as particularly strong but again I never had him in there anyway. I never revised his career the way many did to where they were saying there was an era he was the best player in ball...

He never was over Bird to me. Bird's peak was higher and Bird was instantly dominant...

I think the Dr J comp is real because Dr J was really That Guy to people my Dad's age, and he's more of a footnote now...

With Dr J and Moses I think it’s different. They’re not mentioned much because their primes were before when the NBA was in a down period. And Dr J spent part of his in the ABA.

My dad just hit 59, and was a huge Dr J fan growing up. He'll still make a case Dr J is Top 10, which is generally how he was viewed when he retired 37 years ago...

I dont think them being in the ABA lessened their relevancy within The Culture because the people who really saw their careers remember and value their ABA runs. And both spent most 9f their primes in the NBA, they were only in the ABA a few years...

Putting Kevin Durant on the same tier of Hakeem Olajuwon is WILD

The only players in history can you can say is clearly better than Hakeem is Kareem and MJ. That's it

You stay overrating Kareem, you and many others...

If any other alleged GOAT played their first decade in the equivalent of the 70s NBA and leave that decade with just one ring, but then *boom* you get a transformative co-star and in the next decade you win 5 of the next 9 rings, we'd rightfully point out how that man underachieved on a championship level...

Man's won all 6 of his MVPs in the player vote era. With what we know about players today this is preposterous, we know he doesn't win 6 career MVPs in the current voting format. And his career L's are curiously never mentioned by you or others here, and he has a number of them...

He has a GOAT case but it's not terribly strong and here you are overrating him by saying he's one of just two players who were better than Hakeem. Stop...

Hakeem maximized his situations given his abilities but there are more than two guys better than him...

 

[Shadow King]

“Carrying” is doing a lot of work here since Hakeem made one semi-finals in 7 years.

Also can you tell me what was exceptional about this 39-43 Seattle team that Hakeem lost to in one of his 2 semi finals appearances in 8 years?

You wanna compare this team to a 72 win Warriors, Popavich Spurs or Lebron and Dwade Heat?

You mean the 73 win Warriors Durant had down 3-1 and proceeded to go 22-63 or whatever the fuçk is was to close out the series? The same team he ran to for 2 rings?

How about we compare them to the most successful team of the 80s being in the same conference?

The 80s Rockets not getting is exactly as expected, because he was carrying mediocrity. He didn't just take a semi-finals, he also made a Finals.

When you show me Hakeem's Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson level teammates in his first 10 seasons, then you'll have a point.

 

[Shadow King]

To answer the last question, my perception never changed about Durant much. I guess a few years ago I considered him as pushing towards GOAT10 but I never saw him there, while there people, including NBA Media like Bill Simmons, who did entire podcasts about how Durant was already Top 10 three years ago...

Now, I dont see his Top 10 case as particularly strong but again I never had him in there anyway. I never revised his career the way many did to where they were saying there was an era he was the best player in ball...

He never was over Bird to me. Bird's peak was higher and Bird was instantly dominant...

I think the Dr J comp is real because Dr J was really That Guy to people my Dad's age, and he's more of a footnote now...

My dad just hit 59, and was a huge Dr J fan growing up. He'll still make a case Dr J is Top 10, which is generally how he was viewed when he retired 37 years ago...

I dont think them being in the ABA lessened their relevancy within The Culture because the people who really saw their careers remember and value their ABA runs. And both spent most 9f their primes in the NBA, they were only in the ABA a few years...

You stay overrating Kareem, you and many others...

If any other alleged GOAT played their first decade in the equivalent of the 70s NBA and leave that decade with just one ring, but then *boom* you get a transformative co-star and in the next decade you win 5 of the next 9 rings, we'd rightfully point out how that man underachieved on a championship level...

Man's won all 6 of his MVPs in the player vote era. With what we know about players today this is preposterous, we know he doesn't win 6 career MVPs in the current voting format. And his career L's are curiously never mentioned by you or others here, and he has a number of them...

He has a GOAT case but it's not terribly strong and here you are overrating him by saying he's one of just two players who were better than Hakeem. Stop...

Hakeem maximized his situations given his abilities but there are more than two guys better than him...

Saying Kareem is better than Hakeem isn't an overrating. Hakeem is the one being overrated in breh's post.

 

[3:30]

Hakeem vs KD , you gotta give it to Hakeem

KD won on a stacked team and can’t bus drive

like Hakeem did

 

[Boonapalist]

My dad just hit 59, and was a huge Dr J fan growing up. He'll still make a case Dr J is Top 10, which is generally how he was viewed when he retired 37 years ago...

I dont think them being in the ABA lessened their relevancy within The Culture because the people who really saw their careers remember and value their ABA runs. And both spent most 9f their primes in the NBA, they were only in the ABA a few years...

Exactly only the people who saw them really show them that respect. We have people who never even saw Wilt, Russell, Oscar, Logo, Kareem, Bird, Magic, Jordan, Hakeem, etc etc still rate them highly and mention them. Dr J and Moses don’t get that. That’s the point of OP’s post.

And I only mentioned the ABA for Dr J. It may have only been a few years but that’s when people say he was really at his best. Moses was practically a baby in the ABA.

 

[Spade281]

OKC winning that fourth chip is what hurt KD's legacy the most. the fact draymond always tells the story that he told KD they'd win another one without him also doesn't help either.

KD the beta will always be looked at as a very very good "Robin" type player who had the join a current dynasty that won 73 games in order to win his chips. Russell and ironically Harden showed more heart that KD in that regard

 

[Spade281]

Hakeem won back to back titles as the lynchpin MVP, and possibly the best player in the league those 2 years. He defeated the Knicks, and Magic after they beat Jordan in the playoffs. Returning jordan, but still Jordan.

Durant won back to back on a super team that had ALREADY won previously without him. I take nothing away from KD, but Hakeem will not be forgotten bc the resumes are different.

Durant may indeed end up being viewed as an all-time great scorer but, if Barkley is not forgotten then KD likely won't be.
When I think of forgotten greats, Drexler comes to mind. Even Dominique Wilkins. But I think KD will be remembered over them

Returning Jordan still averaged like 35+ in the playoffs so he was still MJ, just #45 MJ not #23 lol. But you're right Hakeem won't be forgotten due to the position he played, the fact he was the head dog for 2 championships (and one against an NYC team + another against one of the best centers in the league who was starting to making his way). KD won't be forgotten because he was a unique player and the OKC trio beginnings was the start of teams trying to draft their Big 3, but he lost any alpha title he may have had

 

[Piff Perkins]

I don't think the upcoming generation gives a shyt about ring math so why would Durant disappear. Paul George is revered by a lot of these kids right now lol. Durant too. They're more into the aesthetic and style of play than fretting over whose legacy is at stake or not.

In terms of sports writers, journalists etc sure, I think Durant falls down the list. The days of "Durant>Bird" arguments are over. I just don't think that group of talking heads matter as much going forward as they did to us or previous generations of fans.

 

[JesusFOREVER]

The dudes who’s name is forever linked with the two most popular players of this generation will be forgotten?? Do you really believe that or do you desperately want that happen because KD did something that offended you?

 

[Shadow King]

OKC winning that fourth chip is what hurt KD's legacy the most. the fact draymond always tells the story that he told KD they'd win another one without him also doesn't help either.

KD the beta will always be looked at as a very very good "Robin" type player who had the join a current dynasty that won 73 games in order to win his chips. Russell and ironically Harden showed more heart that KD in that regard

Robins don't win 4 scoring titles and an MVP.

 

[Ed MOTHERFUCKING G]

The dudes who’s name is forever linked with the two most popular players of this generation will be forgotten?? Do you really believe that or do you desperately want that happen because KD did something that offended you?

I'm a pistons fan breh, I have no kd bias whatsoever

 

[Ed MOTHERFUCKING G]

I swear the way some you talk about Hakeem is hilarious. You would think he was a 5 time NBA champion with 4 MVPs instead spending most of the 80’s and early 90’s getting dumped out of the 1st round of the playoffs.

Hakeem had 4 years averaging 25 points a game. KD has 13. Hakeem has 2 50 point games. KD has 9. Hakeem had 32 40 point games. KD has 70.


We’ve seen Durant on the same team as other all-time greats Harden, Curry, Klay Thompson, Westbrook, Lillard, Tatum and he was a step above them.


Hakeem and Durant are definitely in the same tier. I swear some of Yall gotta stop drinking and actually watch the game.

He's definitely a deity to some, because of the dream shake and the generational lens.