One of the NBA's most polarizing figures, Kevin Durant, has defined himself in basketball culture through his skill and accomplishments while maintaining one of the most polarizing personalities in the NBA. With an eye on winning over maintaining loyalty to one team, Durant has positioned himself as one of the league's top stars.
Durant's championship triumphs are matched by his influence off the court, making him one of sports' most recognizable figures. In the history of the NBA, Durant separates himself as one of the league's most talented players - with future championship success still a real possibility.
Name: Kevin Wayne Durant
Position: Small Forward, Power Forward
Height: 6-10 (208 cm)
Weight: 240 lbs (106 kg)
School: Texas
Draft: Seattle SuperSonics (2nd Pick, 2nd Overall, 2007)
Season | Record | Off Rtg | Def Rtg | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG%/FGM | 3P%/3PM |
2016-17 | 67-15 | 115.6 | 104.0 | 115.9 | 44.4 | 30.4 | 9.6 | 6.8 | .495/43.1 | .383/12.0 |
League Rank | 1st (West) | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 7th | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st/1st | 3rd/4th |
After a controversial move from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Golden State Warriors, the 2016-17 season saw Kevin Durant move from championship contender to championship favorite. Averaging 25.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists, Durant was named to the All-NBA Second Team and helped lead the Golden State Warriors back to the NBA Finals after a loss in the previous year.
Durant helped lead the Golden State Warriors to one of the most dominant post-season runs in NBA history. In the Western Conference Playoffs, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, and San Antonio Spurs with a 16-0 record. They eventually got their revenge by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1 in the NBA Finals, with Durant earning his first NBA Finals MVP Award.
Season | Record | Off Rtg | Def Rtg | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG%/FGM | 3P%/3PM |
2017-18 | 58-24 | 113.6 | 107.6 | 113.5 | 43.5 | 29.3 | 8.0 | 7.5 | .503/42.8 | .391/11.3 |
League Rank | 2nd (West) | 3rd | 11th | 1st | 17th | 1st | 9th | 1st | 1st/1st | 1st/8th |
After assuring that his move to the Golden State Warriors was worthwhile with a championship in 2017, Kevin Durant went on to produce another spectacular season through the 2017-18 campaign. Despite the Warriors finishing just second in the Western Conference, Durant averaged 26.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 68 games. Combining 72.8 points with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Durant led the league's highest-scoring trio.
The Warriors had a more difficult path to the NBA Finals than their previous season. While they eliminated the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans with an 8-2 record, the Houston Rockets pushed them to seven games as Durant faced former teammate James Harden. Fortunately, the Warriors established dominance over the league with a 4-0 win in the NBA Finals over the Cleveland Cavaliers - earning Durant his second NBA Finals MVP Award.
Kevin Durant's success must be noticed, despite only two NBA Championship rings throughout his career. While his success has yet to reach the heights of the NBA's greatest legends, he's proven to be competitive against some of the best of his time.
Durant may have run out of time to compete with Michael Jordan in the championship race. But with quality rivals like LeBron James and Stephen Curry, Durant has plenty of time to equal their success.
Player | No. of Rings | Years Won | Team(s) |
Bill Russell | 11 | 1957, 1959-69 | Boston Celtics |
Sam Jones | 10 | 1959-66, 1968-69 | Boston Celtics |
Robert Horry | 7 | 1994-95, 2000-2002, 2005, 2007 | Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 6 | 1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988 | Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers |
Michael Jordan | 6 | 1991-93, 1996-98 | Chicago Bulls |
Scottie Pippen | 6 | 1991-93, 1996-98 | Chicago Bulls |
Magic Johnson | 5 | 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987-88 | Los Angeles Lakers |
Tim Duncan | 5 | 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014 | San Antonio Spurs |
Kobe Bryant | 5 | 2000-02, 2009-10 | Los Angeles Lakers |
LeBron James | 4 | 2012-13, 2016, 2020 | Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers |
Kevin Durant's prospects of championship-level success in the NBA were identified before he entered the league. He remains one of NBA history's best scorers and has always led teams that threaten to compete for the NBA Championship. With four Finals appearances and two titles, Durant is one of NBA history's most successful stars.
Player | Finals Appearances | Year | Team(s) |
Bill Russell | 12 | 1957, 1959-66, 1968-69 | Boston Celtics |
Sam Jones | 11 | 1958-1966, 1968-1969 | Boston Celtics |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 10 | 1971, 1974, 1980, 1982-1989 | Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers |
LeBron James | 10 | 2007, 2011-2014, 2015-2018, 2020 | Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers |
Tom Heinsohn | 9 | 1957-1965 | Boston Celtics |
Magic Johnson | 9 | 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991 | Los Angeles Lakers |
Jerry West | 9 | 1962-1966, 1968-1970 | Los Angeles Lakers |
Frank Ramsey | 8 | 1957-1964 | Boston Celtics |
K. C. Jones | 8 | 1959-1966 | Boston Celtics |
John Havlicek | 8 | 1963-1966, 1968-1969, 1974, 1976 | Boston Celtics |
Bob Cousy | 7 | 1957-1963 | Boston Celtics |
Robert Horry | 7 | 1994-1995, 2000-2002, 2005-2007 | Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs |
Kobe Bryant | 7 | 2000-2002 2004, 2008-2010 | Los Angeles Lakers |
James Worthy | 6 | 1984-1985, 1987-1989, 1991 | Los Angeles Lakers |
Michael Jordan | 6 | 1991-1993, 1996-1998 | Chicago Bulls |
Scottie Pippen | 6 | 1991-1993, 1996-1998 | Chicago Bulls |
Shaquille O'Neal | 6 | 1995, 2000-2002, 2004, 2006 | Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat |
Tim Duncan | 6 | 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2014 | San Antonio Spurs |
Tony Parker | 5 | 2003, 2005, 2007, 2013, 2014 | San Antonio Spurs |
Larry Bird | 5 | 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 | Boston Celtics |
We support responsible gambling. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. If you need help, call 1-800-Gambler.
WSN.com is managed by Gentoo Media. Unless declared otherwise, all of the visible content on this site, such as texts and images, including the brand name and logo, belongs to Innovation Labs Limited (a Gentoo Media company) - Company Registration Number C44130, VAT ID: MT18874732, @GIG Beach Triq id-Dragunara, St. Julians, STJ3148, Malta.
Advertising Disclosure: WSN.com contains links to partner websites. When a visitor to our website clicks on one of these links and makes a purchase at a partner site, World Sports Network is paid a commission.
Copyright © 2024