Kevin Durant wants to be in GOAT conversation: 'Why not?' / News - Basketnews.com

Durant says he's done enough in his career to be included in the conversation.

Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con-Scanpix Credit USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con-Scanpix

Kevin Durant is often regarded as one of the best pure scorers in NBA history. The player thinks he should be in the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) conversation as well.

Player of the Game EFF 41 Kevin Durant Points 40 Accuracy 18-25 Rebounds 9 Assists 2

Durant currently ranks 12th all-time in regular season scoring, just barely trailing 11th-placed Carmelo Anthony and 10th-placed Shaquille O'Neal. However, Durant has played fewer games than both players and should overtake them on the list in the 2023-24 season already.

The 35-year-old is a two-time NBA champion (2017, 2018; Finals MVP both times), an NBA MVP (2014), he's also the top scorer in Team USA history and holds three Olympic gold medals (2012, 2016, 2020).

Durant believes he should be included in the GOAT conversation.

"Because I went to the Warriors," Durant told Duane Rankin from The Arizona Republic about the main reason why he isn't in the conversation. "Why shouldn't I be in that? That's the question you should ask. Why not? What haven't I done?"

Indeed, the most common talking point that diminishes Durant's reputation is his stint with the Golden State Warriors. Two years removed from his MVP season, Durant moved to the Warriors to join a team that had won an NBA-record 73 games the previous season.

During the last decade, Golden State won a title both before and after Durant's stint with the team. Meanwhile, Durant hasn't been to the NBA Finals since.

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