Kevin Durant should be higher on ESPN’s list after a phenomenal 2023-24 season.
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant is an all-time great, with countless ESPN stories suggesting so. Although ClutchPoints’ own Brett Siegel put Durant as his fifth-best player in the league, ESPN doesn’t feel the same way. With accumulating the statistics, impact, and value, it seems incomprehensible that Durant fell in their rankings.
Durant was No. 7 in the 2023-24 rankings but fell two spots this year, gracing the No. 9 spot. Players like Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum were ranked above the 14-time all-star. Even with both players making it farther in the playoffs, it doesn’t make much sense why Durant would be ranked lower.
For starters, the Slim Reaper played in more games than Tatum and Embiid. This is all while still recovering from a torn Achilles. Although the Suns were swept, Durant did all he could in that series. He averaged 26.8 points on 55/42/82 shooting splits against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
ESPN claims Jayson Tatum is better than Kevin Durant
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Durant averaged more points per game, on better shooting splits than Tatum. While the Boston Celtics forward is only 26 and just scratching the surface, the former Texas basketball star is in his age 36 season. Not to mention, he dealt with Suns guards Devin Booker and Bradley Beal missing 68 and 53 games, respectively.
Also, one of the most important points would be how the offense was running. Former Suns head coach Frank Vogel is sharp as a tack defensively but didn’t initiate the best system. Although former assistant coach Kevin Young had the responsibility of making the offense work, it simply didn’t.
On the other hand, the Celtics offense ran effortlessly. It allowed for more efficiency and more freedom to move without the ball. Durant didn’t have legitimate off-ball plays the way Tatum did. For example, Tatum had designed cuts to the basket, thanks to playing with teammates like Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis.
Tatum hasn’t looked like the dominant player people know Durant to be. After all, the Suns forward did secure two Finals MVPs with the talented Golden State Warriors. Despite Stephen Curry being the “leader” of those teams, they don’t have a dynasty like they do without Durant.
Numbers don’t lie but context is also important. Durant was the more efficient player despite a less cohesive offense and a lack of team chemistry.
ESPN believes Joel Embiid is better than the Suns forward
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Joel Embiid’s dominance is unlike any other. Before Embiid had an injured meniscus, he was on pace for one of the most dominant seasons in modern history. After he secured the 2022-23 MVP trophy for averaging a league-high 33.1 points, Embiid took his game to another level. His low-post work, physicality, and basketball acumen are unmatched. No other center can truly stop the Philadelphia 76ers big man. They can only limit him.
However, putting him above Durant is asinine, considering that Embiid played 39 games. That’s not taking away from his performance at all. Sometimes, the best ability is availability, and Durant had that and then some. Seventy-five games compared to 39 is quite a discrepancy. Still, both players added immense value to their squads. They are both uniquely different in terms of dominating.
Still, Durant’s longevity should earn him a spot higher than Embiid. His consistent output despite a career-threatening injury makes it all the more impressive.
Why did ESPN rank Kevin Durant so low?
They were, and are still worried about nothing. As ESPN writer Dave McMenamin puts it, “Durant’s ranking is more of a reflection of the ascension of others than any atrophy of his game.” This phrase makes sense but others haven’t been dominating at his level for this long, except for LeBron James. The All-NBA awards, all-star appearances, continued efficiency, and many other factors have cemented Durant’s greatness.
The rise of stars like Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo can have people forgetting about the Suns forward. Durant continues to show out year after year. His longevity, innate scoring ability, and willingness to get better every day prove his greatness. Even Edwards said that Durant is his favorite player of all time, along with Los Angeles Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht.
Continued excellence wears off after a while. Just like any other thing, people look towards the new and trendy. Luckily for Durant, he is more focused on winning another championship than what fans and media have to say.