NBA superstar Kevin Durant believes he belongs among basketball’s greatest players of all time, but he does not consider it necessary to rank himself above legends such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or LeBron James.
Durant explained that he measures his career by his understanding and mastery of basketball rather than by comparisons with other players.
While acknowledging the accomplishments of previous generations, he believes he has reached a level where he can discuss the game alongside its most respected figures.
“I just look at it like, I can’t relate to Michael Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, Wilt… I mean, I could talk deeply about the game of basketball with all of them. I’m at that table for sure. I’m not saying I’m better or they’re better, because it don’t really matter. I feel like I mastered the game, and that should be the only goal for every player.”
The two-time NBA champion also discussed the influence of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, explaining that he respects the standards they established without feeling the need to surpass their individual accomplishments.
“I don’t care about Magic Johnson or Larry Bird, what they’ve done in comparison to me. I’m with the standard, the standard that they set. I want to reach that as far as longevity, relevance, impact on the game, impact on the city, championships. I want that too.”
Durant said his perspective changed as his career progressed. Rather than focusing on where he stands in historical rankings, he began concentrating on improving his own game and allowing fans to debate his place among the all-time greats.
“At one point, I realized none of that matters. Why am I comparing myself to another man? I should just be playing against myself, trying to be better. Leave that up to the fans.”
The former NBA MVP emphasized that he continues to draw inspiration from successful people, including basketball legends, but does not approach his career as a competition to prove he is better than them.
“I’m not comparing myself to another human being in anything that I do. I’m inspired by people, don’t get me wrong. I want to emulate great people and successful people. I want to do what they do, and I want to learn from people who make mistakes.”
Durant added that his motivation during training comes from personal improvement rather than attempting to move ahead of specific players in historical discussions.
“But I’m not sitting here trying to be better than you. I’m not going into the gym working on my shot saying, ‘This right here is going to make me better than Bird. This is going to make me better than Magic or Jordan.’”
