Kevin Durant, the star player of the Phoenix Suns, will start his 17th NBA season in a few days. The 36-year-old has achieved a lot in his career, including being a two-time NBA champion, the 2014 NBA MVP, and a two-time NBA Finals MVP.
Despite his impressive accomplishments, he has been less frequently included in the greatest of all time (GOAT) debates. And now, former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal recently revealed the reason behind this.
During the sixth episode of The Big Podcast, the host, O’Neal, alongside Lou Williams, discussed whether Durant has a case to be part of the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) conversation.
“I think he has his own special category, like me. I’m not in the GOAT conversation but I am one of the two most dominant players ever. So he’s one or two of the most prolific dominant scorers ever. You lose to Golden State and then you go join them, I think that tarnishes it. Now, if he can win one where he’s the bus driver like Charles always says, I think we would definitely have to put him in that conversation.” O’Neal said.
During his final season in the Oklahoma City Thunders, Durant led the team to the conference finals against the Golden State Warriors in the 2015-16 NBA season. The series went to a final game 7, where the Thunder lost to the Warriors despite Durant’s stellar 27 points. The following year, the 36-year-old joined the Warriors, which O’Neal believes affected his status as one of the greatest of all time.
Lou Williams Critiques Timing Of Kevin Durant’s Joining The Golden States Warriors
Williams expressed his admiration for Durant’s exceptional basketball skills during the conversation with O’Neal. However, the former NBA player also noted that Durant’s decision to join the Warriors soon after the defeat in the previous season affected his GOAT status.
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“Kevin Durant is a transcendent talent, bro. We’ve never seen anybody like Kevin Durant. The timing was bad when he went to Golden State but I think any other year of his career if he goes there it’s not looked at as that particular thing,” Williams said.
Durant played three seasons with the Warriors, leading them to two NBA championships alongside star player Stephen Curry. On June 30, 2019, the 36-year-old signed a contract with the Brooklyn Nets, and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recently revealed the reason behind Durant’s departure.
