Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Durant has proven over his career of 15 years that he is one of the best players in the NBA. He’s a former MVP, multiple-time scoring champion, and Finals MVP, along with being one of the greatest scorers in the history of the game. KD’s last season with the Brooklyn Nets ended in disaster after a year full of challenges that weighed too heavily on the Nets in the Playoffs as they were swept by the Boston Celtics.
KD getting swept was one of the reasons that he has fallen in the eyes of many. ESPN just named him the 8th best player in the NBA heading into next season. While the 7 players ahead of him are sensational, it is hard to say that KD has fallen on such hard times within just one season after being ranked first on the same list last year.
NBA fans were not happy at all when they saw how KD was ranked by ESPN, arguing over his position on Twitter.
Is Kevin Durant Past His Prime?
A conversation that many people have started having after the 2022 playoffs was the longevity that Durant can have in the league. He is turning 34 in a week and is definitely in the latter half of his career. Is ESPN expecting his age to be a factor and start slowing him down?
We are watching Durant exist alongside LeBron James, who will turn 38 this season, so we know that modern players can age gracefully and maintain their effectiveness. A player like KD especially, considering how flawlessly he has bounced back from an Achilles tear. KD’s ability to shoot isn’t going anywhere and that is what makes him most dangerous.
The players ahead of him are incredible but KD hasn’t lost such a big step that he suffers such a demotion. Either way, everything will be settled when the NBA season tips off and we can see him in action with the Nets after a troublesome summer.
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