@@mve0172 I have seen way worse starting five than yours but although those are all all time players I'm not sure they would fit that well together. MJ ,Lebron and a big man like Shaq, Duncan etc don't space the floor well enough to create the best team possible
Best scorer? Lmao, that's ridiculous! There's this dude named Jordan than won 10 scoring titles. Scoring titles are not subject to era inflation. Scoring titles are an objective way of judging "the best scorer."
@@diatribeeverything It isn’t objective. There are many other factors besides era inflation, such as teammates, the system, efficiency, volume, and your ability to score from everywhere on the court. A single number can’t define that, so scoring titles shouldn’t be the only way to measure how good someone is at scoring.
@Ezio Auditore I think Kd is the most versatile scorer in history but I still give the best scorer nod to Jordan. Being able to score at all levels is important but Shaq was an amazing scorer and he basically sucked beyond 10 feet.. Points are points.
@@LilShrooms probably right. It’s easier to compare against contemporary players and use that as the basis. How good of a shooter was Jordan compared to shooters back then and assume that the best shooters back then given today’s knowledge and training would be just as good today.
@Ezio Auditore I don’t know about player but sure if you want. It doesn’t really change anything. Rebounding isn’t very useful of a skill set to have though.. rebounding above all else is effort and some basic IQ of rebounding angles. If you think Michael couldn’t rebound 10+ a night if he wanted to, you’re crazy. KD could do it too. That is not either of their roles though. Neither are looked on to gather boards so using that as a metric to say why ones more versatile when it’s not really apart of either players game doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. I guess KD is taller so that’s an advantage for him.
Kevin Wayne Durant, because of him I became engrossed in the sports of basketball, fell in love with it & learn how to play it. One of the best player that ever play
My thoughts exactly he is to me one of the purest scores of all time. My favorite player of all time. people say he isn’t the best and that’s cool because we ALL KNOW he will give anybody buckets. WE ALL KNOW💪🏾💪🏾
This is one of those moments where you realise we should appreciate KD while he’s still in the league and now back healthy. It’s just a joy to watch him do his thing on the court
its not a new revelation or anything. The comp has been made for over a decade now that old NBA forever commercial even had them side by side ruclips.net/video/q3WG1Bv5aBE/видео.html Offensively I think KD in his prime years had more in common with Bob McAdoo offensively than Gervin though. He is truly a unicorn. 6'11 without shoes, basically an offensive amalgamation of Dirk, T-Mac, McAdoo and Gervin. And he was a really good defender from 2013/14 till even now. Just a freak of nature.
@@mashwork6615 kinda, not quite the precision on offense. Better passer though and (believe it or not) better defender in his Toronto days. T-Mac more of a hybrid of Kobe/Dominique Wilkins with some KD elements.
@@EdwardWindhowl Well you can contest him, is just doesn't matter. Similar to how you could stand between Shaq and the basket, he would go through you.
Its similar to the KG vid. With KG however his court vision was underratedly better but since most of his teammates couldn't shoot either those brilliant passes ended possessions with bricks or air balls.
Next one: The Unanimous MVP season of Steph Curry and his breakdown of his insane shooting and his insane off ball moves and his greatest OBPM and greatest plus minus ever
Like most fans. I would say he has the most effortless offensive game ever. He truly makes it look too easy. Plus he definitely holds his own on defense side of the ball.
his peak was before the nba-aba merger .. plus i think he is going by each decade... so the problem with gerving is his 80's success coincides with magics
My own criticism of this is that I feel that Ben undersells how bad his help those OKC teams were offensive because OKC didn't have "some spacing issues" the spacing was just trash with 3 nonshooters on the floor most of the time.
Not really. His breakdown is misleading when talking about KDs scoring with Curry and Russ of the floor. KD’s scoring stays the same every year with Westbrook & Curry off the floor in the sample he uses except 2014....one bad year that’s likely noise takes down entire sample
@@Van_ax The analysis is good. KD just isn't as good as people make him out to be. He's certainly not in the GOAT conversation. A guy that can't get his own shot reliably and is not a leader on the floor is just not top 10 all time material. He has some amazing skills off-ball, but he's just not the world beater people claim he is. If he wasn't 6'11" but more the size of a guard at 6'7" or so he wouldn't even be up here. As was stated repeatedly in the video, he is barely a plus defender. At his height with his reach, he should be All NBA defense. But he's not. Why? Only he can answer that.
@@russellpo7758 Shooters don't just grow out of trees, and the idea that every team needs at least 3 shooters on the floor is something that the Spurs and Warriors revolutionized. OKC was BUILT against the Warriors. Athletic bigs, Westbrook, and KD all got that 3-1 lead over the Warriors for a reason. It took Klay Thompson going nuclear, and both Westbrook and KD choking in game 6 to lose that series. Otherwise, they might have had a ring.
Not the same series, but would love to see you analyze Ben Wallace's impact. He's up for HOF again, but the analytics don't have him as an all-timer but he's a 4x DOP and all the ex-players talk about how much an impact he had. Kind of a polarizing figure in that sense plus he's like 6'8 playing center. Definition of an anomaly
I love how this series shadow-references Lebron and Bird and how all episodes fit together if you know what to listen for. Excellent, scientific analysis and super entertaining.
Idk who can possibly respect a guy who joined the team that eliminated him after he checked a 3-1 lead. Draymond said it best "we didn't need you bitch." Then KD had to go and say some dumb bitch shit, after inevitably beating the cavs, about the torch being passed. Lmao, ok KD... Sure
Amazing content, enjoyed every second Though I feel the part about Durant's passing focused too much on how he's still not a traditional playmaker level passer and a bit less on how he managed to add passing to his arsenal and make his game more deadly. Because he was a great scorer already in his 2nd season and the main difference offensively between young & developing KD and established KD that won MVP and Finals MVPs was his ability to share the ball properly. His first 5 seasons he averaged just 2.8 assists per game with 3.1 turnovers, finishing with less assists than turnovers in every season. That made him predictable and more guardable as he is now because you knew that if you make him the primary ballhandler and put a lot pressure on, he's going to take bad shots or lose the ball rather than finding an open men and using that extra pressure on himself to create easier shots for his partners. From his MVP season he averaged 5.3 assists per game with the same 3.1 turnovers per game making him better prepared for those situations and just a better team player integrated into overall ball movement and style. From that moment of time he became top-1/top-2 NBA player. I just feel like that was a huge transformation and was not appreciated enough
I've been watching basketball a LONG time. Since the days of Magic and Bird... There has NEVER been anyone like KD. UNBELIEVABLE basketball player. People gotta enjoy him while hes playing, AND give that brother his flowers.
6"11 with althleticism, handles of a guard and literally can create shots whenever he wants. Defensively, he's also great able to guard all positions. Yes he is one of the most complete scorer in basketball history
@@autumnleaf2976 For sure. He's also got 60 points on 11 dribbles in three quarters on his resume, as well as 37 in a quarter. Those should be up there as well.
Klay is like that stoner guy in class that you know he is really smart but he gets distracted by random stuff but once he decides to focus he is the smartest guy in class.
I wonder if kawhi will be mentioned in this series. I mean he's been historically great at improving his numbers in the playoffs, plus he has great scoring and defense. He's also added some playmaking since toronto
Kawhi is a pretty unique NBA story. 2017 you could argue he was MVP and maybe even this year in 23/24, but his health issues and identity as a defensive first guy kinda precluded him from the buzz he needed in 16/17 to generate MVP noise over Steph, LeBron and KD. Russ never should have won in 2017, yeah he was on fire but I think Kawhi was the best player on one of the best teams, and that they would have upset the Warriors sans Zaza's bullshit. Spurs-Cavs would have been a six or seven game slugfest between peak Kawhi and peak LeBron.
@@exiledknight3961 Once again your are wrong his height got officially changed by the NBA to 6’10 without shoes. Nice try tho. www.google.com/amp/s/crownhoops.com/2019/10/08/complete-list-of-nba-player-height-changes-and-updates/amp/
I've always seen Kevin as the greatest scorer ever but found it weird that he struggled to generate more shots. This clears a lot of it up. Kevin really relies a lot on a creative playmaker. He's a great ceiling raiser but may not raise the floor as high as a James Harden for example.
The dude is 7 feet. Expecting him to be point guard is pretty silly. Its like expecting Shaq to play PG and create his own shot. As long as KD was paired with a decent PG he could easily create his own shots.
Really would love to see this series expanded. Isiah, Erving, Barkley, Malone, Nowitzki, Nash and Pippen come to mind. Maybe Steph and Stockton also would be very interesting.
This is my fav series of all time, i would love to see these analysis of other players that are not considered the "greatest" but still superstars such ass melo, patrick ewing, nash ... etc
@@theretrosavage i nvr said he is worse than melo and nash, i want this series to included players like ewing and such cause this series only has the goat
The best per scorer I have ever seen in person and I saw Kobe when he came to town and LBJ his whole career but at 7ft and can score from anywhere at anytime is amazing still, he was a walking bucket
@@GameChanger-xi4iy Which is funny because he gets memed for the 'hardest road' thing. But ideally Durant's high level basketball is unlocked with another super star offensive playmaker playing alongside him.
@@GameChanger-xi4iy KD didn’t need anyone to create for him when he nailed both dagger 3’s over Lebron in the 17 and 18 finals. It isn’t a negative that KD plays better with a PG. The dude is 7 feet. You really expect him to be the PG? Its like saying a negative in Currys game is his shot blocking. KD is a wing, not a PG.
jordan and scottie, Kareem and magic, kobe and shaq were all much greater, hard to say they were the best duo if without KD at all, they go 73-9 lmao...
@@Vyuel those were good, but scottie isn't very close to either prime KD/Steph, and Kareem wasn't in his prime with magic. Shaq and Kobe is definitely a close one though
about the point that Durant functions way better with a star PG then without: that's why the Nets will be very good for they have not 1 but 2 star guards
@@Van_ax Yea he has greatly improved as a playmaker and has plays PG whenever Russ or Steph aint play,, its just OKC had terrible spacing and no real role player they had were that good offensively at all so without them KD would be heavily trapped/double. Driving lanes were just heavily clogged and that happen sometimes even with Russ.
@@Van_ax did you not watch the video? There was clear evidence it's not debatable and I'm a KD fan. He's still amazing without but with one he's arguably the best in the world
Russell Westbrook’s is wrong too. Westbrook is AT LEAST 6’5 but he’s listed at 6’3. When Westbrook and Harden are side by side Westbrook is the same height if not a bit taller
Can you do one on Kevin McHale? He only had how killer seasons but his combination of efficiency and proficiency is statistically one of the best ever. Also, super cool to be the originator of the term 'torture chamber'
Nice to see an honest breakdown of KD. When people say he is the greatest scorer ever they really need to qualify what they mean. If you take that to mean iso scorer he's probably not even top 10. But as a flow scorer in an offence, maybe as the primary scoring option behind pass first PG he may very well be the best ever, his catch and shoot game is so OP it should be banned.
With how the rules have changed over the course of decades, being the 'best' scoring in the NBA requires granularity on what makes up that component. That said KD in this modern era is one of the elite ISO scorers especially his GSW run. But stacked against the legends and he probably will be ranked lower against guys who are triple threat masters who had the physical gifts, great length and size but also explosive first steps.
I am so glad that you'll include Steph in this series. Steph is the only player on this series to not have the great to elite defense yet his scoring and shooting powers are on another level, quite possibly better than the rest of the players in this series. I look forward to the next episode
Please do 1 for harden. I'd love your view and assessment. Maybe be even a great video after this playoffs for an in depth assessment of him before and after Houston. It would help us understand his game much better overall. Once again thank you for the great content
I know the LeBron and Durant episodes have been about previous seasons, but I still think it's a weird choice to use the past tense when talking about them. Not only are they still playing, but many of the elements you mention are still very much aspects of their game.
You should do a 1 episode briefly covering each of the honorable mentions for greatest primes. I'm thinking Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard would be my contenders for greatest primes honorable mentions.
Can you do a video on Dirk Nowitzki Ben? I feel he gets underrated a lot these days since his scoring volume doesn't match elite scorers of the modern era but there's something to be said about the guy featured in a lot of all-time great offenses. Who's also one of the best playoff scorers ever. Who, while not being defensively great, was still good enough to be hidden within Carlisle's system and boasted strong defenses as long as he had a defensive anchor at the 5 next to him. Quick hands to grab steals. Good defensive rebounder, prolonged prime and an impactful player 18 seasons deep into his career. As deadly as MJ from the midrange while being 7foot tall. 7 foot guy who was REALLY quick in his athletic prime and had a deadly first step against other big men for his era. Idk I just feel Dirk scales better than most guys considered above him in all-time rankings because they also were good defenders. Dirk was just so much better on offense and one of the best floor spacers and raisers ever. Would love to see an in-depth video about him, I know you did a lot of research for Dirk on your podcast but having a thorough video that connects all the dots would be so cool.
KD when healthy, in his prime, playing his best ball, took over games like few ever could. He did EVERYTHING well. Zero weaknesses to his play. Top 5 scorer ever easily to me.
Its more like with the right team, his ability to take over in bursts and stretches was VERY evident. His time with GSW is a testament of that. Sure he didn't have to drop 30+ to prove a point having Steph and Klay alongside him. But he can easily rack up 20-30 easily because defenses have to worry about Steph and Klay so KD can get to his spots easily. Then if he needs to he'll drop another 20 difficult shots in the process to try take over and win.
@@t4d0W With or without the right team he's the best individual scorer ever. Has the numbers to show and the skillset to match while also being an athletic damn near 7 footer. No one else compares. Literally can score in every way over any defender from any spot of the court with efficiency.
@@blvckzulu9469 Except you missed the part Ben talked about when his playoff scoring numbers dipped down a bit. Along with the careful notion that Durant's offense game gets further unlocked with another primary ball handler/scorer with him because KD's offensive game is getting to his off-ball spots and beating his matchups there along with isolation match ups. Plus when he's on attack mode he's not crazy dominant either more than he's using his length to leverage against defenders already at the paint to finish. Its a stark comparison when he's the primary option with OKC who got around 9 FTAs but simmered down to about 6 FTAs playing with the Warriors. Which is still good because his role was streamlined so he gets more opportunities for buckets while playing in the flow of the Warriors offense. Plus he doesn't have to force his shots as defenses can't throw the kitchen sink at him because they have to account for Steph/Klay's gravity.
Kyrie irving needs to find away to stay healthy....harden and Durant aren't gonna cut it alone...joe harris is a gunner no doubt...but they need these three to win a finals
Yo Ben. Will the original efficiency monster (Charles Barkley) be included in this series? If not, might be worth doing an additional series of the gaps that were missing in would-be greats. Or maybe regular season monsters, post-season game-planned out players? P.s. Spacey inclusion 10/10
kevin durant,micheal jordan and kawhi leonard make basketball look so easy such efficient scorers who dont need only physicality to beat pkayers because they are so smooth.Lebron is great also but is game is not as appealing like durant,mj and kawhi.super smooth operators who make basketball seem effortless
@@darkswaggboss9059 He’s been nearly as efficient as KD for the past few seasons and that is with nearly all of his offense being created by himself. They’re entirely different scorers but very comparable volume/efficiency wise.
@@TheMissinLink that's primarily because harden shoots more 3s and fts than kd does, even though he's a few percentage points worse in both categories. Also, almost half of kd's shot attempts are from mid-range where he shoots about 50%, which is better than every single player in the league over the last 7 seasons, obviously harden included. I'm bringing up the difference in their shooting tendencies to make this point. kd shoots on average better than harden does from every single spot on the floor, but because harden shoots more 3s and fts than kd does on average, his ts% is greatly boosted.
@@ajdaking507 I understand that. That doesn’t change the fact on a per true shot basis he’s just as efficient as KD. And like i said harden is creating almost all of his own offense which usually drives efficiency way down but that’s not the case when it comes to him which makes it even more impressive. KD is 100% the more versatile, resilient scorer but that wasn’t my point.
People been giving KD so much flaks so leaving OKC, but damn OKC putting Andre Roberson and Russel Westbrook on the same line up is downright criminal of spacing abuse
He is about 6 foot 9.5-10 without shoes, the NBA has now cracked down on height measurements and use the players height without shoes. The whole he's 7 feet was an exaggeration because he was as tall as some NBA big men who listed themselves as near 7 footers like Kevin Love and DeMarcus Cousins, but in reality they are much shorter. There are pictures.with him and Gasol next to each other and KD is clearly shorter. Gasol was formerly listed as 7 foot 1, but is now listed as 6 foot 11 since they now use without shoes height.
@@heemothy Please provide a source. His official height w/o shoes measured at the beginning of last year is 6'9.5 when NBA became more strict with height measurements. Also as I said, Marc Gasol was clearly taller than when they stood side by side and Marc Gasol is only 6 foot 11 without shoes.
I really love your videos! Here's some criticism: I almost missed this awesome content because I didnt click it because the thumbnail didnt attract me. I passed this vid a couple of times in my subscription box and ignored it subconsciously then when I realized it was Thinking Basketball's video, I clicked immediately because I know you have good content. For new vieweres though, they probably wouldn't find you easily. I know your theme in your thumbnails are consistent but changing it up a bit might help you reach wider audiences. Anyway, keep making quality content! ❤️ Good luck!!
@@lilrobbie2k Shaq was consistently dominant tho despite people who wanna pick at how limited his offense was in comparison to a WING player who has length and can actually shoot. Teams needed the right roster make up to try match up against his prime teams. Otherwise you run out of bigs and even Shaq's wing teammates like Kobe can feast on putting the opposing bigs in heavy foul trouble. KD never swayed teams to match up differently against him. Granted in part due to poor spacing with even his last OKC run limiting his overall opportunities with creating buckets.
KD is the most unstoppable scorer to ever play basketball, if his career hadn't coincided with LeBron's he'd easily have 3 MVPs and probably another Larry O'Brien or two He'll be easily a top 15 all-time career when he retires regardless
Most unstoppable depending on the context and what you value. Spotting up off a catch there’s nobody that can stop him but as the video showed he couldn’t create his own shot nearly as effectively. And when he was playing without another high level creator/shot maker his efficiency seriously plummeted. I’ll still take a player like peak jordan because he could get his shot from 15-20 feet at any time and had an unreal first step(slightly better FT rates to cap) and even peak lebron, just because he could get the highest efficiency shot in basketball with regularity. Top 5 scorer but not unstoppable.
Did you even watch the video? His efficiency plummeted when he had to create his own shot in the playoffs. And his turnover rate/scoring rate do not compare to the likes of Jordan.
No, he's not. Michael Jordan is, and it's not even close. Jordan routinely destroyed double and even triple teams, jumped OVER interior defenders to dunk on them, and mercilessly toyed with defenders in the mid-range before posterizing them with that vicious first step. KD is really good, but he's no Michael. And if I had to pick KD or Lebron in a series, it's Lebron 10/10. Lebron can dominate at the rim when his shots not falling and is a phenomenal passer to boot. Looking at the totality of this video and the series, he's been the least impressive player at Peak so far.
@@TheMissinLink With his combination of height, length, and perimeter skill I view him as the ideal scorer, his shot is just unguardable no matter the contest. He was the first true "Unicorn" to me as essentially a 7' shooting guard. He's simply one of the best ceiling raisers ever as his time with the Warriors/Nets is showing, but was also an MVP when he lacked another high-level creator. Considering his longevity (even after missing two seasons to his foot and Achilles injury) and insane ascension as an MVP-level talent at only 21 years old, he should end top 5 all-time and would have a serious chance at surpassing Kareem's scoring record if Lebron didn't exist. Obviously Jordan, Lebron, and even the Harden's and Kobe's of hoops history have a case as the most unguardable scorer ever, but from what I've witnessed, I'll take the prolific Slim Reaper to get me a bucket
@@theupside591 leBron is the GOAT Floor raiser and KD is the GOAT celling raiser But if you take into account BBIQ and mental toughness I feel that where LeBron edges out KD LeBron has went almost through everything on the basketball court and overcame most of it including historical championship runs and it makes his overall approach to the game much more polished and mature. KD given his physical gifts ( unusual gility & freakish wingspan ) should at some point been a candidate for DPOY which to me signals a lack of effort or low motor
@@TheDarkChemicalBond so the video covers his entire career? BS. Plus players who have to carry the offense can’t be playing elite defense the entire game. KD is a monster in a swiching defense where he can guard 1 to 5
The guy drafted ahead of him was Greg Oden, and I feel bad for the guy. He was an absolute beast and could have been another KD-level player. He was even a little better than KD up to that point. But he just immediately got hurt and never got healthy after that. Really unfortunate.
I'm guessing that's part of why KD left. They did a great job of drafting their big 3 but a terrible job at putting the proper role players around them.
it is the gift/curse of highly scalable offensive talents. They aren't exactly 1 man wrecking crews/assassins (ala Jordan) but they can still put up amazing numbers if given the volume/opportunity. But put them with 2-3 other guys who can get their own shot AND convert catch and shoot opportunities into gold and all of a sudden they are juggernauts on offense.
Bad drafting that didn't pan out (Reggie Jackson, Mitch mcgary, Perry Jones, Cameron Payne, Cole aldrich), the harden trade, injuries in several seasons to Durant, Westbrook and ibaka, bad signings/trades (kendrick Perkins, Kyle singler,) , and not being able to get elite free agents to want to come to OKC doomed the franchise. Am a Thunder fan and while upset that kevin went to GS not mad he left, I get that it's a business and he did what he thought was best for him. Never was into the cupcake BS or hated him for it.
To keep it 100 I don't think his " Best ' has left him.. His " injury " this year is more of a precaution but when Healthy fully, KD still has a strong argument for best player in the league.
Could we see your best starting 5 of all time counting how well they fit together in the final episode?
I was thinking the same thing! But maybe it deserves its own video
Apart from the (classic) big it is not a hard choice for me:
Steph
MJ
KD
LeBron
Hakeem/Duncan/Shaq
People bump up this comment so it happens! Don’t leave it underrated. 1K likes min
@@mve0172 I have seen way worse starting five than yours but although those are all all time players I'm not sure they would fit that well together. MJ ,Lebron and a big man like Shaq, Duncan etc don't space the floor well enough to create the best team possible
@@arthurdiserbeau1736 best fit is
Curry
Jordan
Bird
Garnett
Shaq
Last time I was this early okc fans still loved kevin durant.
Is there a world where people keep track of "how early" they are to a RUclips video? Sad!
@@johnsmith1474 how is it sad?
Best scorer? Lmao, that's ridiculous! There's this dude named Jordan than won 10 scoring titles. Scoring titles are not subject to era inflation. Scoring titles are an objective way of judging "the best scorer."
@@diatribeeverything What about Wilt then? Sorry but KD is the most unstoppable scorer ever. Nobody had that length and mobility.
@@diatribeeverything It isn’t objective. There are many other factors besides era inflation, such as teammates, the system, efficiency, volume, and your ability to score from everywhere on the court. A single number can’t define that, so scoring titles shouldn’t be the only way to measure how good someone is at scoring.
Kevin is a true unicorn man. To be that size, that skilled and that gifted athletically is just wow
and Greg Oden might have been a better athlete, major what if
@Ezio Auditore I think Kd is the most versatile scorer in history but I still give the best scorer nod to Jordan. Being able to score at all levels is important but Shaq was an amazing scorer and he basically sucked beyond 10 feet.. Points are points.
@@sambalaskas5082 also if Jordan grew up in today’s era im pretty sure he would easily develop his 3 pt game to be at least good if not great
@@LilShrooms probably right. It’s easier to compare against contemporary players and use that as the basis. How good of a shooter was Jordan compared to shooters back then and assume that the best shooters back then given today’s knowledge and training would be just as good today.
@Ezio Auditore I don’t know about player but sure if you want. It doesn’t really change anything. Rebounding isn’t very useful of a skill set to have though.. rebounding above all else is effort and some basic IQ of rebounding angles. If you think Michael couldn’t rebound 10+ a night if he wanted to, you’re crazy. KD could do it too. That is not either of their roles though. Neither are looked on to gather boards so using that as a metric to say why ones more versatile when it’s not really apart of either players game doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. I guess KD is taller so that’s an advantage for him.
Kevin Wayne Durant, because of him I became engrossed in the sports of basketball, fell in love with it & learn how to play it. One of the best player that ever play
I know this should make me feel old... But that's so dope to hear. One word that undoubtedly describes what it's like watching KD play: Inspiring.
My thoughts exactly he is to me one of the purest scores of all time. My favorite player of all time. people say he isn’t the best and that’s cool because we ALL KNOW he will give anybody buckets. WE ALL KNOW💪🏾💪🏾
Steph is the same way for me. They are both equally great.
Finally I found someone who thinks the same as me lol
This is one of those moments where you realise we should appreciate KD while he’s still in the league and now back healthy. It’s just a joy to watch him do his thing on the court
💕💕💕
Everyone’s always appreciated KD the basketball player. People just don’t like KD the person.
@@thedarkfrost2351we don’t know KD the person smh
Gervin said on an interview with the Knuckleheads that KD was the modern player he saw himself in so fitting comparison
its not a new revelation or anything. The comp has been made for over a decade now that old NBA forever commercial even had them side by side ruclips.net/video/q3WG1Bv5aBE/видео.html
Offensively I think KD in his prime years had more in common with Bob McAdoo offensively than Gervin though. He is truly a unicorn. 6'11 without shoes, basically an offensive amalgamation of Dirk, T-Mac, McAdoo and Gervin. And he was a really good defender from 2013/14 till even now. Just a freak of nature.
@@robertbowen5457 T-Mac was the KD pre cursor
@@mashwork6615 kinda, not quite the precision on offense. Better passer though and (believe it or not) better defender in his Toronto days. T-Mac more of a hybrid of Kobe/Dominique Wilkins with some KD elements.
One of the best and most effortless scorers I have EVER seen
He shoots like no one is contesting him. No one bothers his form.
Yep, "effortless" is the best word I've ever heard to describe KD's scoring. When he's in full health, KD in the playoffs is wild to watch.
@@EdwardWindhowl Well you can contest him, is just doesn't matter. Similar to how you could stand between Shaq and the basket, he would go through you.
Durant could easily average 40 a game if he wanted
Beat scorer of all time IMO
It’s real simple, I see a thinking basketball video I watch a thinking basketball video.
Simpleton?
Funny, how most of the clips highlighting his good passing ability end in a bricked shot by Westbrook, Adams or Roberson.
I was just gonna comment this lol
That's basically why they didn't won and he left 😅
If Russ had a basketball IQ over 50 they would have won
@@tokenblack7983 or if they actually had a shooting guard that can shoot.
Its similar to the KG vid. With KG however his court vision was underratedly better but since most of his teammates couldn't shoot either those brilliant passes ended possessions with bricks or air balls.
This guy knows more about basketball then all the people that talk basketball on ESPN put together and half of those guys played in the NBA
Next one: The Unanimous MVP season of Steph Curry and his breakdown of his insane shooting and his insane off ball moves and his greatest OBPM and greatest plus minus ever
Agreed, great idea
100%
The best point guard of all-time.
@@wallstreetzoomer MJ better but steph better then Stockton
@@Goldengamer444 stockton isnt top 5
Like most fans. I would say he has the most effortless offensive game ever. He truly makes it look too easy. Plus he definitely holds his own on defense side of the ball.
The Iceman reference makes me hope we get an analysis of him
Would have been here by now if it was gonna be in the series:/
But would be a good future vid for sure
his peak was before the nba-aba merger .. plus i think he is going by each decade... so the problem with gerving is his 80's success coincides with magics
@@vanhoot2234 I never asked for a greatest peaks episode
@@Cyrusislikeawsome I never said I wanted his peak
19:38 "Kevin could be a bit... Spacey", I see what you did there 😂
i dont get it, could u explain it to me like I'm a vulnerable little boy?
Kevin Spacey is a person I’m pretty sure
@@mintesinotsturm388 correct
🙆♂️🙆♂️🙆♂️
@@silverfox389 I see you, you maniac
There’s finally a good breakdown of KD’s game
And it's not even close with the rest.
My own criticism of this is that I feel that Ben undersells how bad his help those OKC teams were offensive because OKC didn't have "some spacing issues" the spacing was just trash with 3 nonshooters on the floor most of the time.
Not really. His breakdown is misleading when talking about KDs scoring with Curry and Russ of the floor. KD’s scoring stays the same every year with Westbrook & Curry off the floor in the sample he uses except 2014....one bad year that’s likely noise takes down entire sample
@@Van_ax The analysis is good. KD just isn't as good as people make him out to be. He's certainly not in the GOAT conversation. A guy that can't get his own shot reliably and is not a leader on the floor is just not top 10 all time material. He has some amazing skills off-ball, but he's just not the world beater people claim he is. If he wasn't 6'11" but more the size of a guard at 6'7" or so he wouldn't even be up here. As was stated repeatedly in the video, he is barely a plus defender. At his height with his reach, he should be All NBA defense. But he's not. Why? Only he can answer that.
@@russellpo7758 Shooters don't just grow out of trees, and the idea that every team needs at least 3 shooters on the floor is something that the Spurs and Warriors revolutionized. OKC was BUILT against the Warriors. Athletic bigs, Westbrook, and KD all got that 3-1 lead over the Warriors for a reason. It took Klay Thompson going nuclear, and both Westbrook and KD choking in game 6 to lose that series. Otherwise, they might have had a ring.
Not the same series, but would love to see you analyze Ben Wallace's impact. He's up for HOF again, but the analytics don't have him as an all-timer but he's a 4x DOP and all the ex-players talk about how much an impact he had. Kind of a polarizing figure in that sense plus he's like 6'8 playing center. Definition of an anomaly
Yo Ben I'm really excited to watch this video; KD is actually my favorite player and I'm pumped you did a video on him. Thanks so much man
I started watching basketball, because I saw him play (on tv) in an international tournament once. Still my favorite basketball player to this date.
Cat can ball.
Been waiting for this one. One of my favorite players to ever touch a basketball.
I love how this series shadow-references Lebron and Bird and how all episodes fit together if you know what to listen for. Excellent, scientific analysis and super entertaining.
Please stop teasing and just do a breakdown of the goat himself: Brian Scalabrine
It'll be a year-long video
Video would be way too long! RUclips doesn’t allow uploads to use that many Terabytes!
Idk who can possibly respect a guy who joined the team that eliminated him after he checked a 3-1 lead. Draymond said it best "we didn't need you bitch." Then KD had to go and say some dumb bitch shit, after inevitably beating the cavs, about the torch being passed. Lmao, ok KD... Sure
@@diatribeeverything
Where the fuck did that even come from?
@@drehasthebestbeats2874 he's still upset because he's either a LeBron fan or an OKC fan who still hasn't recovered.
Amazing content, enjoyed every second
Though I feel the part about Durant's passing focused too much on how he's still not a traditional playmaker level passer and a bit less on how he managed to add passing to his arsenal and make his game more deadly. Because he was a great scorer already in his 2nd season and the main difference offensively between young & developing KD and established KD that won MVP and Finals MVPs was his ability to share the ball properly. His first 5 seasons he averaged just 2.8 assists per game with 3.1 turnovers, finishing with less assists than turnovers in every season. That made him predictable and more guardable as he is now because you knew that if you make him the primary ballhandler and put a lot pressure on, he's going to take bad shots or lose the ball rather than finding an open men and using that extra pressure on himself to create easier shots for his partners.
From his MVP season he averaged 5.3 assists per game with the same 3.1 turnovers per game making him better prepared for those situations and just a better team player integrated into overall ball movement and style. From that moment of time he became top-1/top-2 NBA player. I just feel like that was a huge transformation and was not appreciated enough
I've been watching basketball a LONG time. Since the days of Magic and Bird...
There has NEVER been anyone like KD.
UNBELIEVABLE basketball player.
People gotta enjoy him while hes playing, AND give that brother his flowers.
6"11 with althleticism, handles of a guard and literally can create shots whenever he wants. Defensively, he's also great able to guard all positions. Yes he is one of the most complete scorer in basketball history
Love this series please keep dropping these videos
Only one left sadly but it’ll be MVP Steph
alright where's kd's burner account comments at lemme see
Just becuz he was caught out once dosent mean he's comentinng on everything. He's very loyal btw
- Devin Kurant
@@haydenmellsop2270 kd... that you??
@@kierankobaissi2396 ay... shit.... who said what?
Next greatest peaks episode is gonna be "Klay thompson, 5/28/16"
- greatest Robin? nope. Greatest shooting robin? yup.
If talking about greatest single game peaks, he's top 5 all time, easy.
@@autumnleaf2976 For sure. He's also got 60 points on 11 dribbles in three quarters on his resume, as well as 37 in a quarter. Those should be up there as well.
greatest single game multi-peaks confirmed. LoL get well soon
Klay is like that stoner guy in class that you know he is really smart but he gets distracted by random stuff but once he decides to focus he is the smartest guy in class.
I wonder if kawhi will be mentioned in this series. I mean he's been historically great at improving his numbers in the playoffs, plus he has great scoring and defense. He's also added some playmaking since toronto
Kawhi is a pretty unique NBA story. 2017 you could argue he was MVP and maybe even this year in 23/24, but his health issues and identity as a defensive first guy kinda precluded him from the buzz he needed in 16/17 to generate MVP noise over Steph, LeBron and KD. Russ never should have won in 2017, yeah he was on fire but I think Kawhi was the best player on one of the best teams, and that they would have upset the Warriors sans Zaza's bullshit. Spurs-Cavs would have been a six or seven game slugfest between peak Kawhi and peak LeBron.
That Kevin Spacey joke was both the best thing I’ve heard all day and the worst thing I’ve heard all day
Durant officially stands at 6'10.5" without shoes!
Nope 6'9.5 "
www.si.com/nba/2019/10/18/kevin-durant-height
@@exiledknight3961 Have you seen him next to Demarcus Cousins? Or even Lebron?
@@joshjohnson3867 Yes man , all their heights were reduced by official measurements. Like how are you arguing official NBA measurements ?
@@exiledknight3961 6”9.5 with shoes is 6”11😂 so who really cares
@@exiledknight3961 Once again your are wrong his height got officially changed by the NBA to 6’10 without shoes. Nice try tho. www.google.com/amp/s/crownhoops.com/2019/10/08/complete-list-of-nba-player-height-changes-and-updates/amp/
I've always seen Kevin as the greatest scorer ever but found it weird that he struggled to generate more shots. This clears a lot of it up. Kevin really relies a lot on a creative playmaker. He's a great ceiling raiser but may not raise the floor as high as a James Harden for example.
The dude is 7 feet. Expecting him to be point guard is pretty silly. Its like expecting Shaq to play PG and create his own shot. As long as KD was paired with a decent PG he could easily create his own shots.
@@steveno7058 well, James is 6'9" (nice) and he is a brilliant playmaker.
Really would love to see this series expanded.
Isiah, Erving, Barkley, Malone, Nowitzki, Nash and Pippen come to mind. Maybe Steph and Stockton also would be very interesting.
Bro, the fact that this content is free is absurd. Well done.
This is my fav series of all time, i would love to see these analysis of other players that are not considered the "greatest" but still superstars such ass melo, patrick ewing, nash ... etc
Yea dumb reference by narrator
Patrick ewing is a top 50 player
@@theretrosavage i agree but he not one of the goats, he a superstar fr thoguh
@@leothetang he had offense and defense though...melo and nash couldn't play defense if someone placed a 12 gauge to their temple
@@theretrosavage i nvr said he is worse than melo and nash, i want this series to included players like ewing and such cause this series only has the goat
I can just imagine the amount of work you put for this series, amazing job Ben! 🏀♥
streets been waiting for this one
i feel like dirk deserves a
video. Your vids are amazing!
"Slithery enough to catch off the screen". I see what you did there 😉
I was Looking For this Comment 😁😆😆
The spacey snake!
The best per scorer I have ever seen in person and I saw Kobe when he came to town and LBJ his whole career but at 7ft and can score from anywhere at anytime is amazing still, he was a walking bucket
@@GameChanger-xi4iy Which is funny because he gets memed for the 'hardest road' thing. But ideally Durant's high level basketball is unlocked with another super star offensive playmaker playing alongside him.
@@GameChanger-xi4iy KD didn’t need anyone to create for him when he nailed both dagger 3’s over Lebron in the 17 and 18 finals. It isn’t a negative that KD plays better with a PG. The dude is 7 feet. You really expect him to be the PG? Its like saying a negative in Currys game is his shot blocking. KD is a wing, not a PG.
Durant admitted that he was recorded at "6'10" and three-quarters with no shoes, so with my shoes on I'm 7-feet."
Literally came to RUclips to look for a video like this and it was the first thing when the app opened.
KD and Steph were the best duo in NBA history at their peak.
only shaq and kobe compare
jordan and scottie, Kareem and magic, kobe and shaq were all much greater, hard to say they were the best duo if without KD at all, they go 73-9 lmao...
@@Vyuel those were good, but scottie isn't very close to either prime KD/Steph, and Kareem wasn't in his prime with magic. Shaq and Kobe is definitely a close one though
This might be the greatest series I've ever seen from a youtuber... Such great insight and knowledge.
20:30 "offensive linemen" lol
I could watch these on every player in the league and never get bored
I know it wouldn’t happen but I’d love to see a greatest peak on linsanity for the memes plus it would low key kinda fit
Haven’t watched yet, but I assume Curry is next. I wonder how close guys like Giannis and Harden were? Who were some of your hardest cuts?
He said wade was one of his hardest cuts
Giannis is still young. Might get a video in a couple of years.
what's giannis' peak? his 24 and 25 year old seasons? that doesn't seem right.
Giannis is like 25 years old or something, his peak likely hasn't happened yet.
Wade was really close, Ben had already started a video
Durant also has some of the best nicknames to date: Durantula, Slim Reaper...
And snake, burner, etc lol
@@demolisherOfMoney hahahaha
No one uses them anymore. But they were good.
YES! MOAR VIDS PLZ! whoever you want to cover, how ever long you want to take on the vid. I'll be here, im ready! THE GREATEST PEAKS BABEEE!
LETS GOOO NEW GREATEST PEAKS
about the point that Durant functions way better with a star PG then without: that's why the Nets will be very good for they have not 1 but 2 star guards
It’s not true though....KD functions just as good without a point guard
@@Van_ax ok
@@Van_ax Yea he has greatly improved as a playmaker and has plays PG whenever Russ or Steph aint play,, its just OKC had terrible spacing and no real role player they had were that good offensively at all so without them KD would be heavily trapped/double. Driving lanes were just heavily clogged and that happen sometimes even with Russ.
Two of the top 5 PGs in the league 😳 (harden, Curry, Dame, Luka, Kyrie)
@@Van_ax did you not watch the video? There was clear evidence it's not debatable and I'm a KD fan. He's still amazing without but with one he's arguably the best in the world
Durant’s listed height is the biggest joke since Boogie Cousins.
For real, lol. Any side by side with other tall players put that joke about him only being 6’9” in the spotlight.
Russell Westbrook’s is wrong too. Westbrook is AT LEAST 6’5 but he’s listed at 6’3. When Westbrook and Harden are side by side Westbrook is the same height if not a bit taller
Durants' offense is a thing of beauty
As a football(soccer) fan I'm thoroughly impressed that you mentioned Lionel Messi.
Its not the first football reference in this channel
the true GOAT
@@diegocarvajalcastro I remember him likening Siakam to Mbappe too lmao
@@obed8960 and comparing Hakeem to a golie or Giannis to a football Sweeper (the most impressive reference for me)
Do you guys know anything like thinking basketball for football? I love this kinda thing but I can't find anything close to Ben's quality.
Can you do one on Kevin McHale? He only had how killer seasons but his combination of efficiency and proficiency is statistically one of the best ever. Also, super cool to be the originator of the term 'torture chamber'
13:05 that speech bubble tho
This intro is so epic, gives me chills every time
It's easier to score when you have five Allstars and 2 mvp....noted.... makes sense to me.
Great video as always! So excited for the Stephen Curry one. You’ve given us all some great entertainment and made us better students of the game :D
Nice to see an honest breakdown of KD. When people say he is the greatest scorer ever they really need to qualify what they mean. If you take that to mean iso scorer he's probably not even top 10. But as a flow scorer in an offence, maybe as the primary scoring option behind pass first PG he may very well be the best ever, his catch and shoot game is so OP it should be banned.
With how the rules have changed over the course of decades, being the 'best' scoring in the NBA requires granularity on what makes up that component. That said KD in this modern era is one of the elite ISO scorers especially his GSW run. But stacked against the legends and he probably will be ranked lower against guys who are triple threat masters who had the physical gifts, great length and size but also explosive first steps.
This is BS his MVP season leading the league in every advance stat per bpm vorp WS WS/48 came with Westbrook hurt. Elgee is a known Curry guy.
BS. Wheres your proof KD isn’t a great iso scorer.
I am so glad that you'll include Steph in this series. Steph is the only player on this series to not have the great to elite defense yet his scoring and shooting powers are on another level, quite possibly better than the rest of the players in this series. I look forward to the next episode
Steph is the only player to not be 6’6 or taller as well, and to think he’s only 6’3 is insane
Please do 1 for harden. I'd love your view and assessment. Maybe be even a great video after this playoffs for an in depth assessment of him before and after Houston. It would help us understand his game much better overall.
Once again thank you for the great content
This is the best comprehensive punlic breakdown series probably of any league and amy sport
I know the LeBron and Durant episodes have been about previous seasons, but I still think it's a weird choice to use the past tense when talking about them. Not only are they still playing, but many of the elements you mention are still very much aspects of their game.
Great Series Keep it up Bro!
Kevin Durant is a hybrid of T-Mac & Dirk……Ball handling like T-Mac with Dirk efficiency shooting.
All time Great….arguably top 10 ever.
Yousirrr are speaking facts 🙏🏼
You can make a good case for it.
You should do a 1 episode briefly covering each of the honorable mentions for greatest primes. I'm thinking Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard would be my contenders for greatest primes honorable mentions.
One of the great questions in NBA history: What if the Thunder had decided to give James Harden a max deal instead of dealing him?
Can you do a video on Dirk Nowitzki Ben? I feel he gets underrated a lot these days since his scoring volume doesn't match elite scorers of the modern era but there's something to be said about the guy featured in a lot of all-time great offenses. Who's also one of the best playoff scorers ever. Who, while not being defensively great, was still good enough to be hidden within Carlisle's system and boasted strong defenses as long as he had a defensive anchor at the 5 next to him. Quick hands to grab steals. Good defensive rebounder, prolonged prime and an impactful player 18 seasons deep into his career. As deadly as MJ from the midrange while being 7foot tall. 7 foot guy who was REALLY quick in his athletic prime and had a deadly first step against other big men for his era. Idk I just feel Dirk scales better than most guys considered above him in all-time rankings because they also were good defenders. Dirk was just so much better on offense and one of the best floor spacers and raisers ever. Would love to see an in-depth video about him, I know you did a lot of research for Dirk on your podcast but having a thorough video that connects all the dots would be so cool.
This series is amazing. Keep up the good work!
Been waiting for this one 💯
Man I’m so hyped for the curry episode
This Is The Best Series On RUclips.. Bar None . 💯💯💯
KD when healthy, in his prime, playing his best ball, took over games like few ever could. He did EVERYTHING well. Zero weaknesses to his play. Top 5 scorer ever easily to me.
top 1 scorer ever easily
Its more like with the right team, his ability to take over in bursts and stretches was VERY evident. His time with GSW is a testament of that. Sure he didn't have to drop 30+ to prove a point having Steph and Klay alongside him. But he can easily rack up 20-30 easily because defenses have to worry about Steph and Klay so KD can get to his spots easily. Then if he needs to he'll drop another 20 difficult shots in the process to try take over and win.
@@t4d0W With or without the right team he's the best individual scorer ever. Has the numbers to show and the skillset to match while also being an athletic damn near 7 footer. No one else compares. Literally can score in every way over any defender from any spot of the court with efficiency.
@@blvckzulu9469 1. Jordan 2.Shaq 3. KD
@@blvckzulu9469 Except you missed the part Ben talked about when his playoff scoring numbers dipped down a bit. Along with the careful notion that Durant's offense game gets further unlocked with another primary ball handler/scorer with him because KD's offensive game is getting to his off-ball spots and beating his matchups there along with isolation match ups. Plus when he's on attack mode he's not crazy dominant either more than he's using his length to leverage against defenders already at the paint to finish. Its a stark comparison when he's the primary option with OKC who got around 9 FTAs but simmered down to about 6 FTAs playing with the Warriors. Which is still good because his role was streamlined so he gets more opportunities for buckets while playing in the flow of the Warriors offense. Plus he doesn't have to force his shots as defenses can't throw the kitchen sink at him because they have to account for Steph/Klay's gravity.
THANK YOU FOR USING THE SLIM REAPER MONIKER. KD never liked it but I think it's one of the best, least used nicknames of all time.
Love these vids so much, and would love to see in-depth analysis, even a similar series, on the greatest WNBA players! Keep up the great work 🙌🏻
I’d like that too!
My favorite player of this ERA! There's more to come next 2 to 3 years, so make sure to revisit this video :D
Kyrie irving needs to find away to stay healthy....harden and Durant aren't gonna cut it alone...joe harris is a gunner no doubt...but they need these three to win a finals
Yo Ben. Will the original efficiency monster (Charles Barkley) be included in this series?
If not, might be worth doing an additional series of the gaps that were missing in would-be greats. Or maybe regular season monsters, post-season game-planned out players?
P.s. Spacey inclusion 10/10
Absolutely riveting series. Thank you so much🏀
kevin durant,micheal jordan and kawhi leonard make basketball look so easy such efficient scorers who dont need only physicality to beat pkayers because they are so smooth.Lebron is great also but is game is not as appealing like durant,mj and kawhi.super smooth operators who make basketball seem effortless
Kawhi and KD are uber efficient scorers
Gonna have to make another one soon with the way kd has been playing since his achilles return
KD in 2014: Honestly, I think I can score better than anybody
Harden sitting next to him: and I took that personally...
? Harden scan score better than him tho lol harden shoots more shots more fts and is less efficient
@@darkswaggboss9059 He’s been nearly as efficient as KD for the past few seasons and that is with nearly all of his offense being created by himself. They’re entirely different scorers but very comparable volume/efficiency wise.
@@TheMissinLink KD is more versatile than Harden and has delivered in the playoffs.
@@TheMissinLink that's primarily because harden shoots more 3s and fts than kd does, even though he's a few percentage points worse in both categories. Also, almost half of kd's shot attempts are from mid-range where he shoots about 50%, which is better than every single player in the league over the last 7 seasons, obviously harden included. I'm bringing up the difference in their shooting tendencies to make this point. kd shoots on average better than harden does from every single spot on the floor, but because harden shoots more 3s and fts than kd does on average, his ts% is greatly boosted.
@@ajdaking507 I understand that. That doesn’t change the fact on a per true shot basis he’s just as efficient as KD. And like i said harden is creating almost all of his own offense which usually drives efficiency way down but that’s not the case when it comes to him which makes it even more impressive. KD is 100% the more versatile, resilient scorer but that wasn’t my point.
People been giving KD so much flaks so leaving OKC, but damn OKC putting Andre Roberson and Russel Westbrook on the same line up is downright criminal of spacing abuse
You may have to make another one 😂😂😂😂
Really good series. Thanks for this.
Funny thing is, actually KD seems to keep going better for someone of his age.
Such an under appreciated channel
Durant is not 6'9" without shoes lol he's at least 7 feet tall walking around on a court
He is about 6 foot 9.5-10 without shoes, the NBA has now cracked down on height measurements and use the players height without shoes. The whole he's 7 feet was an exaggeration because he was as tall as some NBA big men who listed themselves as near 7 footers like Kevin Love and DeMarcus Cousins, but in reality they are much shorter. There are pictures.with him and Gasol next to each other and KD is clearly shorter. Gasol was formerly listed as 7 foot 1, but is now listed as 6 foot 11 since they now use without shoes height.
@@JonnyLin7 he's 7'0 with shoes on and 6'10.75 without
@@heemothy Please provide a source. His official height w/o shoes measured at the beginning of last year is 6'9.5 when NBA became more strict with height measurements. Also as I said, Marc Gasol was clearly taller than when they stood side by side and Marc Gasol is only 6 foot 11 without shoes.
@@JonnyLin7 i don't feel like it.
@@heemothy cause it doesn't exist...
I really love your videos! Here's some criticism: I almost missed this awesome content because I didnt click it because the thumbnail didnt attract me. I passed this vid a couple of times in my subscription box and ignored it subconsciously then when I realized it was Thinking Basketball's video, I clicked immediately because I know you have good content. For new vieweres though, they probably wouldn't find you easily. I know your theme in your thumbnails are consistent but changing it up a bit might help you reach wider audiences. Anyway, keep making quality content! ❤️ Good luck!!
I've always viewed KD as the most "unfair" player of all-time - there is no defender that can stop him from scoring.
I agree he's up there, but not sure he beats peak Shaq.
@@ericvogler6909 - Maybe. But, KD can make shots from anywhere... including at the FT line.
@@lilrobbie2k Shaq was consistently dominant tho despite people who wanna pick at how limited his offense was in comparison to a WING player who has length and can actually shoot. Teams needed the right roster make up to try match up against his prime teams. Otherwise you run out of bigs and even Shaq's wing teammates like Kobe can feast on putting the opposing bigs in heavy foul trouble. KD never swayed teams to match up differently against him. Granted in part due to poor spacing with even his last OKC run limiting his overall opportunities with creating buckets.
@@t4d0W but Shaqs poor free throws is a massive weakness. He couldn’t even finish some tight games because of it. KD has no such scoring weaknesses
This should be required viewing for NBA Twitter
KD is the most unstoppable scorer to ever play basketball, if his career hadn't coincided with LeBron's he'd easily have 3 MVPs and probably another Larry O'Brien or two
He'll be easily a top 15 all-time career when he retires regardless
Most unstoppable depending on the context and what you value. Spotting up off a catch there’s nobody that can stop him but as the video showed he couldn’t create his own shot nearly as effectively. And when he was playing without another high level creator/shot maker his efficiency seriously plummeted. I’ll still take a player like peak jordan because he could get his shot from 15-20 feet at any time and had an unreal first step(slightly better FT rates to cap) and even peak lebron, just because he could get the highest efficiency shot in basketball with regularity. Top 5 scorer but not unstoppable.
Did you even watch the video? His efficiency plummeted when he had to create his own shot in the playoffs. And his turnover rate/scoring rate do not compare to the likes of Jordan.
No, he's not. Michael Jordan is, and it's not even close. Jordan routinely destroyed double and even triple teams, jumped OVER interior defenders to dunk on them, and mercilessly toyed with defenders in the mid-range before posterizing them with that vicious first step. KD is really good, but he's no Michael. And if I had to pick KD or Lebron in a series, it's Lebron 10/10. Lebron can dominate at the rim when his shots not falling and is a phenomenal passer to boot. Looking at the totality of this video and the series, he's been the least impressive player at Peak so far.
@@TheMissinLink With his combination of height, length, and perimeter skill I view him as the ideal scorer, his shot is just unguardable no matter the contest. He was the first true "Unicorn" to me as essentially a 7' shooting guard.
He's simply one of the best ceiling raisers ever as his time with the Warriors/Nets is showing, but was also an MVP when he lacked another high-level creator. Considering his longevity (even after missing two seasons to his foot and Achilles injury) and insane ascension as an MVP-level talent at only 21 years old, he should end top 5 all-time and would have a serious chance at surpassing Kareem's scoring record if Lebron didn't exist.
Obviously Jordan, Lebron, and even the Harden's and Kobe's of hoops history have a case as the most unguardable scorer ever, but from what I've witnessed, I'll take the prolific Slim Reaper to get me a bucket
@@theupside591 leBron is the GOAT Floor raiser and KD is the GOAT celling raiser
But if you take into account BBIQ and mental toughness I feel that where LeBron edges out KD
LeBron has went almost through everything on the basketball court and overcame most of it including historical championship runs and it makes his overall approach to the game much more polished and mature.
KD given his physical gifts ( unusual gility & freakish wingspan ) should at some point been a candidate for DPOY which to me signals a lack of effort or low motor
This makes my Monday morning. Ty sir :)
Legitimately underrated defender; it would be appreciated more if not for his other worldly scoring
He's barely a plus defender. Did you watch the video?
@@TheDarkChemicalBond so the video covers his entire career? BS. Plus players who have to carry the offense can’t be playing elite defense the entire game. KD is a monster in a swiching defense where he can guard 1 to 5
I remember watching KD play for Texas and was just blown away he didn’t get drafted #1. He was/is such a special player.
The guy drafted ahead of him was Greg Oden, and I feel bad for the guy. He was an absolute beast and could have been another KD-level player. He was even a little better than KD up to that point. But he just immediately got hurt and never got healthy after that. Really unfortunate.
So no episode on the multiple time shaqtin-a-fool MVP Javele Mcgee????? Wow SMH
This is the first time past tense is freaking me out. KD forever
Geez, watching the Thunder players brick wide open 3s... oof.
I'm guessing that's part of why KD left. They did a great job of drafting their big 3 but a terrible job at putting the proper role players around them.
it is the gift/curse of highly scalable offensive talents. They aren't exactly 1 man wrecking crews/assassins (ala Jordan) but they can still put up amazing numbers if given the volume/opportunity. But put them with 2-3 other guys who can get their own shot AND convert catch and shoot opportunities into gold and all of a sudden they are juggernauts on offense.
Bad drafting that didn't pan out (Reggie Jackson, Mitch mcgary, Perry Jones, Cameron Payne, Cole aldrich), the harden trade, injuries in several seasons to Durant, Westbrook and ibaka, bad signings/trades (kendrick Perkins, Kyle singler,) , and not being able to get elite free agents to want to come to OKC doomed the franchise.
Am a Thunder fan and while upset that kevin went to GS not mad he left, I get that it's a business and he did what he thought was best for him. Never was into the cupcake BS or hated him for it.
I dont think Durant does any one thing better than everyone, but he does everything really well, which is why he's such an effective scorer
Isnt he having an MYP season right now?
To keep it 100 I don't think his " Best ' has left him.. His " injury " this year is more of a precaution but when Healthy fully, KD still has a strong argument for best player in the league.