Kevin Durant says he, LeBron, and Curry are the big three of the league.
In a chat with Jake Paul and “IShowSpeed,” NBA legend Kevin Durant made his pick for the NBA’s big three. Durant initially named himself, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry, but clarified that there aren’t just three players who hold that title.
“You can say LeBron, Steph, and myself, but NBA is different, there are no big threes it’s like a big 30,” said Durant. “But the 3 oldest that’s still playing at a high level is me, LeBron, and Steph… Kawhi and Paul George. You can’t just put 3 in there.”
Big 3 of the NBA:
“You can say LeBron, Steph, Myself, NBA is different it’s like a big 30”
“But the 3 oldest that’s still playing at a high level is Me, Bron & Steph… Kawhi can’t just put 3 in there”
Jake Paul: “it’s hard to be good for that long – longevity, you’ve been so… pic.twitter.com/jQlToXmVa2
— 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 ✰ (@Hatedzs) July 9, 2024
It’s hard to define a whole era by just three players but when considering the modern NBA, Durant, Curry, and LeBron are probably the players who have achieved the most success. Other veterans like Paul George, Chris Paul, and Kawhi Leonard also helped to define the modern game.
Kevin Durant is one of the most prominent names in the NBA and he’s been a premier basketball talent for over a decade. While it’s been five years since his last title, Durant’s status as an All-Star and former MVP makes him a legend among his peers and he’s never been shy about acting like one.
Burt on the topic of the “big three” of the league and which players are the face of the game, Durant doesn’t believe it can be limited to just three players. Today’s NBA is deeper and more talented than ever and Durant is smart enough to recognize how many players have a claim at the top. Even so, some of the stars have been doing this longer than others.
Durant, 35, is a 16-year NBA veteran with career averages of 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game on 52% shooting. After stints with the Thunder, Warriors, and Nets he joined the Suns in 2022 and it’s where he remains to this day. For most players, their decline begins after roughly 10 or more seasons but Durant is one of the few elites who has maintained his status 16 years in.
Stephen Curry, like Durant, has also shown an impressive level of longevity. Curry, a 10x All-Star, is one of the greatest shooters ever and has won 4 championships with the Warriors. Last season, his 15th in the league, he averaged 26.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game on 45% shooting.
The poster child for longevity is LeBron James. He’s been at the top of the league for 21 seasons now and he’s still going strong at 39 years old. Last season, through 71 games, he averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game on 54% shooting.
Together, Curry, James, and Durant have been among the best players in the game for years and they are easily the longest-standing superstars today. It remains to be seen how much longer their reign will continue but there’s no reason to think they don’t have several more years in them at this level of production.
As for Durant, he has yet to make another Finals run since leaving the Warriors and he’s facing massive pressure to perform this upcoming season. With Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the Suns have invested a lot in their core and Durant still has to prove that he can take this team all the way.