Shaquille O'Neal urges acknowledgement of Kevin Durant's longevity as the Slim Reaper enters his 16th official year
Kevin Durant has been in the league longer than people imagine - during his time he's seen the franchise that drafted him move states and change their name. Apart from Jeff Green, he is the only active basketball player to have played for the Seattle Supersonics.
The Slim Reaper has come a long way since then, growing from strength to strength. From joining LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony as the only rookies to average 20 points in a season to becoming MVP with the OKC Thunder in 2014, Durant has seen it all.
This season will officially be KD's 16th year (17th year if you count a year off due to an Achilles tendon injury), an aspect of his game that not many recognize, but should.
When people speak about longevity, they usually bring up names like LeBron James (entering his 21st season) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who played 20 seasons), but Kevin Durant is slowly getting up there.
Shaquille O'Neal shared an Instagram post that praised KD for his longevity. Shaq rarely praises players, so to receive a shoutout from the big man is something.
The player-turned-pundit played for 19 seasons, beginning in 1992, and ending in 2011, and knows how difficult the game can get once anyone crosses the 10-year mark. For Durant to be playing at an elite level even after 16 official seasons is commendable.
Having played for the Phoenix Suns, Shaq knows what the team from Arizona demands from its stars, irrespective of their age. Big Diesel knows Kevin Durant will be perfectly capable of producing superstar-level performances, even with Kevin Durant halfway to 40 (he turns 35 in two weeks, on September 29).
KD joined the Suns in February and slotted in perfectly next to Devin Booker, and with the addition of Bradley Beal, he'll look to build upon the chemistry in the upcoming season
Kevin Durant will look to win his third championship with the Phoenix Suns
Injuries have marred Durant's past few seasons after he went down in the 2019 NBA Finals with a horrendous injury. He moved to the Brooklyn Nets and did not play during the pandemic season, and even after coming back, he struggled with his fitness.
He joined the Phoenix Suns for the final 26 games of the regular season, having gotten injured in Brooklyn. After moving conferences, he did not play in 18 games of the possible 26, playing only in 8 regular season games. He joined them for a deep playoff push but lost out to eventual champions the Denver Nuggets in the semis.
Kevin Durant no longer has any excuses; he has left a difficult situation and is back to playing basketball without complaint. Nothing stands in the way of the 2014 MVP averaging more than the 29.1 points he did last season if he can stay healthy.