“If you took your basic GM poll right now and ask which player you want… It would be Kevin Durant” - Skip Bayless says Kevin Durant is the best player in the world ahead of 2x MVP

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Milwaukee Bucks v Brooklyn Nets

Skip Bayless hailed Kevin Durant as the best player in the world. Durant has been the subject of much speculation this summer, with a possible exit from Brooklyn.

On Fox Sports' "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," Skip Bayless said that Durant is the best player in the world ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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"Just by default, Kevin Durant is still the best player on the planet. Durant, just this past regular season, with all the destruction going on around him thanks to Kyrie Irving, he scored a career-high 30 points a game.

"Actually Kevin Durant, amid all the Kyrie-caused chaos, had a career-high in every category in just 55 games because he was hurt. If you took your basic GM poll right now and ask which player you want going into next year, just for next year it would be Kevin Durant."

UNDISPUTED

@undisputed

.@RealSkipBayless’ current Top 5 Players in the NBA:

1. Kevin Durant
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
3. Joel Embiid
4. Nikola Jokić
5. Steph Curry

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.@RealSkipBayless’ current Top 5 Players in the NBA:

1. Kevin Durant
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
3. Joel Embiid
4. Nikola Jokić
5. Steph Curry https://t.co/3ISquQn9yC

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Kevin Durant's MVP-caliber season

KD watching his team take on the New York Knicks

Durant had an incredible season for the Nets before his injury sidelined him. Durant's injury came at the worst possible time. The Nets gathered steam as Kyrie Irving's return to the lineup approached.

Durant finished the season averaging 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. He shot the ball higher than 38% from beyond the arc and nearly 52% from the field. He has recorded 18 double-doubles and four triple-doubles this season.

ESPN Stats & Info

@ESPNStatsInfo

Kevin Durant has 19 points at halftime against Milwaukee. The rest of the Nets starting lineup has 17.

Durant entered Friday having outscored the rest of his team's starters in 4 games this season, second only to Stephen Curry (5 games) for most in the NBA.

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Durant made a strong case for the MVP award earlier in the season. Historically, the team's record has played a pivotal role in deciding the regular season MVP. Durant had that in his favor. Before Durant's injury, the Nets sat second in the Eastern Conference standings, only half a game behind the Chicago Bulls.

Durant held the fort for the Brooklyn-based franchise while Irving and James Harden, who had fitness issues, were out.

Following the injury, the Nets plummeted in the East standings. Irving missed most of the season due to vaccine mandates. The Nets shipped Harden off to the 76ers to for Ben Simmons. Simmons' back injury didn't allow him to play this season. They barely made the postseason through the play-in tournament. The Boston Celtics swept the Nets in the first round.

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