Ultimate Player Rating: Kevin Durant (Full Breakdown)

In the next Players Ratings Series, Kevin Durant will be rated in all of the key attributes known to an NBA Superstar. And there is no denying that Durant is a superstar player, who has been consistently one of the best players in the league for some time now- not to mention one of the best offensive players we have ever seen.

Not to mention, Durant finally became a champion even though he did decide to join a 73-win team. He was the best player during his two championship runs and put up monster numbers all season long. We also saw an improvement in his defensive game since joining Golden State, and this might continue once he is back from injury.

We will once again consider stats along with the eye test and a player’s history of producing in moments. Here are the 13 most crucial NBA player factors that will showcase Durant’s skill set for a final rating.

Ultimate Skill: Perfect Offensive Arsenal

Durant’s Hero Badge is in the aspect of his Perfect Offensive Arsenal. Durant is a master at scoring the basketball and is able to single-handedly take over a game with his offense. He can shoot from anywhere on the court at a sublime efficiency and is long enough to finish inside. He is one of the most legendary offensive players of all-time.

Durant is an incredible scorer. He is a legitimate 50-40-90 guy each and every season, not to mention his ability to drain shots from anywhere on the court. His jump shooting is among the best in the league, but so are his other offensive skills. He is unstoppable at attacking the basket because of his tremendous length and athleticism, and is just a nightmare to handle. Durant has a strong case for the best offensive player in the NBA.

Playmaking 3.5/5.0

Durant is not a poor playmaker by any means, but he has never been a proficient one either. Despite drawing a ton of attention offensively, Durant averages only 4 assists per game for his career. Not to mention, his career highs in assists came when he was with the juggernaut Warriors. Durant is a very capable passer but does not find open guys as often as he should.

Rebounding 4.2/5.0

Durant averages 7 rebounds per game for his career, and this is certainly an area he could improve upon if any. He is a legitimate 7 feet tall and has the hops to snatch balls off the rim. However, Durant has very poor upper body strength and this might be the reason why he does not grab more rebounds. Durant has had monster rebounding games in the past, but he is not a very effective rebounder for his height.

Impact 5.0/5.0

Kevin Durant on the offensive end is as good as it gets. He is a one-man wrecking crew and deserves a 5/5 rating just for that. But Durant is also an excellent defender who can block shots and defend on the ball very well. His offensive perfection paired with his defensive improvements give him an easy 5-star rating for impact.

Athleticism 4.0/5.0

Kevin Durant is a unique athlete, thanks to his extremely long and lanky body that makes it extremely easy for him to shoot over defenders. He is also very quick and can get from one end of the court to the other in a matter of seconds. His height, particularly, is what gives him a high rating.

However, Durant has little to no upper body strength, especially in his earlier years. Durant was very easy to bully in the post, and he had trouble using his body until he became older. Even after putting on some more muscle, he is still not a very strong athlete which counts against him here.

Defense 4.5/5.0

Durant was a decent defender coming into the league, although his slight frame did not do him any favors.

However, KD has developed into a fantastic defender with excellent shot-blocking skills. Especially in his final season with the Thunder and the seasons with the Warriors, Durant became one of the best defenders in the league. He improved his ability to stay with defenders and improved his ability to block shots thanks to his height.

Even though he had a ton of help in Golden State, Durant has proven he is very effective on defense.

NBA IQ 4.5/5.0

Defensively, Durant has improved tremendously and is a threat to swat away shots at any instant. KD’s basketball I.Q. on both ends is 4.5 stars.

Clutch 5.0/5.0

Kevin Durant might be one of the most clutch players in NBA history. His shot taking and shot-making skills is really among the best to ever do it.

KD can get any shot he wants, and even has the dribble moves to create more space. In terms of pure talent alone, KD might be the greatest offensive player of all time.

Most importantly, KD wants to take the final shots and is never afraid of taking the blame in clutch moments. Everyone knows the ball is coming to him in these moments and there is not much anyone can do about it.

Efficiency 5.0/5.0

Durant offensively is as efficient as it gets. He is usually close to a 50-40-90 shooting season every year, thanks to his incredible shot-making ability and towering length. He finds it so easy to get shots off, and always seems to have a good look. It is no wonder why his percentages are high every year.

Durant is extremely efficient as a basketball star and he gets 5 stars here.

Playoffs 4.2/5.0

When it comes to playoff dominance, arguments for and against KD is often divided into two groups.

For one, many believe he has not managed to impress in the playoffs since he failed so many times with the OKC Thunder. They managed to reach the Finals, only to get trotted by the heat. Durant also had a massive failure in his final season with the Thunder, losing to Golden State before joining them.

Others believe that this is a small sample size and that Durant was by far the best player during his two championship runs. This is hard to argue, as he did capture two Finals MVP trophies at the expense of LeBron James. Durant put up big numbers and was always dominate with the Warriors.

Still, the argument that he had a ton of help is a legitimate one his team simply had the most talent in the league that made it easier for him. He gets 4 stars here.

Leadership 4.2/5.0

Durant is a perfect example of a player who prefers to lead by example and let his play do the talking.

Durant was always the best player on his team and performs the best consistently. Thanks to his incredible scoring ability, he managed to score a ton of points and take over games without doing much more in terms of leadership. Especially with the Thunder, he was often extremely reserved while Russel Westbrook was the man making all the noise.

With Golden State and a large crew behind him, Durant became more vocal and confident in himself both internally and externally. While Draymond Green was the vocal leader and Steph was the golden boy, Durant once again led by example. He gets 4 stars for this reason.

Achievement 4.5/5.0

Durant, individually, has all the accolades a scorer would want. He has captured multiple scoring titles and MVPs. He has put up monster scoring games and averages 27 points per game for his career.

Not to mention, he finally captured 2 NBA Championships that have previously eluded him until he teamed up with Golden State. Even though his wins have a large asterisk against them, he is still a champion and his Finals performances showcased that. He gets 4.5 stars here.

1 On 1 Game 5.0/5.0

Finally, Durant gets a perfect score for his one on one game and there is no debate here. He is a master at putting the ball in the basket and often needs two defenders to slow him down. One is simply not enough since he can create space and rise to shoot over the top of you. Durant, one on one, is simply unstoppable.

With KD, you have to pray that he misses his shot and that you are well built to bully him inside. He is still long and athletic and can defend most shots as well so he will be tough to score against. An easy five stars for KD thanks to his perfect offense.