Kevin Durant once said that LeBron James was the player he looked up to most as he prepared to enter the NBA. In a Time interview conducted before Durant was selected second overall in the 2007 NBA Draft, the 18-year-old prospect praised James for handling massive hype with maturity, avoiding off-court trouble, playing hard, and meeting high expectations. Durant also highlighted James’ leadership in taking the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals, calling him “the perfect athlete.”
At the time, James had already established himself as one of the league’s brightest stars. In 2007, he was coming off a second straight top-five finish in MVP voting and had just led Cleveland to its first Finals appearance. He was only 23 years old and in his fourth NBA season, yet he had already become a standard for young players under pressure.
Durant’s early career followed a similar path in some ways. By age 23, he had played five seasons, finished twice as an MVP runner-up, and carried the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Finals in 2012. That series ended with James and the Miami Heat defeating Durant’s team, creating one of the defining matchups of that era. Durant later built a career that matched the praise he once gave James, becoming known for elite scoring, consistent production, and a relentless work ethic. Reports from former teammate Vasilije Micic have described Durant as someone who adds detailed drills to his training, including passing work against double teams, showing that his success has been rooted in preparation as well as talent.
The article also reflects on how both superstars shaped their legacies through major team changes. James left Cleveland in 2010 after repeated playoff disappointments and joined Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. He later changed teams twice more. Durant made a similar high-profile move when he left the Thunder and joined the Golden State Warriors, a decision that brought him two championships but also sparked criticism because those titles came with a dominant team already in place.
The piece raises the question of whether their legacies would look different if they had stayed with their original franchises. While both players became champions and all-time greats, their choices continue to fuel debate about loyalty, competition, and the path to winning titles in the modern NBA. The story originally appeared on Basketball Network on May 30, 2026, in its Old School section.
