NBA legend Rasheed Wallace knows a little something about greatness. Wallace was a great player himself, of course, and he went up against some of the best to ever play in NBA history, like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James. For right now, though, Wallace has a strong opinion about who the best player in the league is today: Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant. Here's what Wallace said about Durant, via the Gil's Arena with Gilbert Arenas.
Rasheed Wallace says he thinks Kevin Durant is still the best player in the NBA 👀
“I still think right now he's the best player in the league. No disrespect to everybody else. It just comes too simple for him, dog."
(via @GilsArenaShow)pic.twitter.com/ghnyAzHXjP
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 5, 2023
Kevin Durant is still elite with the Suns
Durant being heralded as the league's greatest this deep into his career is a testament to all he's done. While you could definitely argue that LeBron James is still the best player in the NBA, or that perennial MVP candidates Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have surpassed him, Durant is undeniably great when he's healthy.
Rasheed Wallace's reasoning is what makes Durant one of the most uniquely difficult defensive assignments to ever play. Durant can seemingly get off a shot whenever he wants thanks to his length and smooth footwork, which allow him to get to his favorite spots with ease. Other players may be more of a force at the rim, or better defensively, but if the clock is winding down and you need to get one bucket, Durant may be the leading choice to take the shot for most people.
The counter-argument for Wallace's claim is that Kevin Durant hasn't won an MVP award since the 2013-14 season, and there are plenty of other multi-time MVPs playing at a higher level right now. At age 35 Durant is well past his prime on the Suns, but there's no question he's still among the league's elite players.
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