Coming into the 2021-22 NBA season, some around the league felt Kevin Durant was the best player in the world. Despite the  heroics of reigning NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, these people saw how close KD came to knocking off the Milwaukee Bucks despite injuries to James Harden and Kyrie Irving and felt the Texas product did enough to earn the distinction. Now, The Athletic has made the case for the nine-time All-NBA superstar as the 13th-greatest player of all time, with room to grow.

Fans have made some educated guesses as to who is still to be named on The Athletic's list:

Per The Athletic's Anthony Slater in his Durant writeup:

Durant signed an extension in Brooklyn that’ll keep him there another four seasons, stretching his career commitment into the summer of 2026. He will be 37 then. If he stays healthy, his statistical resumé should vault him in the top-10 conversation. But he’s already cemented himself as a legend, even without scoring another point.

Without seeing who they put over Kevin Durant, I'm not here to cast any aspersions on the legends still to be named. But I'll say this much: if I needed a player in his prime to win a championship in any era with a random assortment of teammates set to face a superteam comprised of all legends, there are not 12 names I'd take ahead of Slim Reaper.

I can say that with confidence even if he never played another minute. Maybe I'm necessarily insulting some greats with a handful more rings than KD. Maybe Durant's detractors hold against him the fact that he won on a superteam in Golden State. Whatever. If I made the list, I'm sure he would have wound up ranked higher.

There are some legends who played in an era where they were so dominant they broke the sport. Bill Russell, for example, wound up with 11 championships. Oscar Robertson was the original walking triple-double. Wilt Chamberlain was an unstoppable wrecking ball. Magic Johnson has five championships and revolutionized the sport in so many ways.

But if I had to beat a team with those guys, I like my chances with Durant above plenty Hall of Famers. I'm too young to have witnessed The Big O. I'm less certain how the likes of an Oscar Robertson would fare if I had to face a peak Michael Jordan, LeBron James, or Tim Duncan. With Durant, I already know the answer and I don't mind my chances.

Just remember: Kevin Durant is going to go down as one of the greatest offensive weapons ever. In fact, the Nets star is fourth on the all-time scoring average list at 27.1 points per game, trailing just MJ, Wilt, and Elgin Baylor. KD has done that on remarkable efficiency, and the other aspects of his game are also incredible when he's at peak performance. The fact that he's so good after a torn Achilles is another testament to his greatness, and his current absence from the Nets is showing his massive impact.

Brooklyn is just 2-6 since Durant went down with a sprained MCL. It's no coincidence they're on a five-game losing streak and their defense has absolutely collapsed to the tune of a 27th-ranked unit over the last couple weeks.

People talk about Durant's four scoring titles and two Finals MVPs for good reason. Less is said about his playmaking or his defense, but Nets fans know firsthand how important those components are to his game. Prior to the most recent 121-111 loss to the Phoenix Suns, head coach Steve Nash opened up about his motivation for coaching this Nets team in the first place.

“Yeah, I think Kevin and I have a pretty long history now,” said Nash. “Having worked together one-on-one, knowing the passion he has for the game, and for his craft, the history we have together, you know, I think there's definitely a large motivation as to why I came here, was to work with him and to see him grow and continue to thrive late in his career. … You know obviously he has gifts and talent, but that incredible passion and dedication and attention to detail is what makes him great, so having that history with him, wanting to come here and help and be a part of his success is a motivating factor for me as well.”

Between Kyrie Irving spraining an ankle in the playoffs last season, James Harden straining a hamstring, Irving's vaccination issue this season, and Durant's most recent knee sprain, it has felt like one thing after another has prevented the Big 3 from taking the court together on a consistent basis.

Increasing the amount of Big 3 Nets basketball was surely top of mind when the team made the bold and controversial decision to reinstitute Irving as a part-time player. If Irving, Harden, and Durant make a run and win a championship for a franchise that has never won an NBA title, that would figure to vault KD a few rungs higher on all-time lists.

But for my money, they should at least start practicing how to chisel Kevin Durant's mug on the NBA's Mount Rushmore by the time he's ready to join Tom Brady in retirement. He's already in the top 10 and might well be regarded as a top-five player when he's finished.