LeBron James and Kevin Durant remain two of the biggest NBA superstars over the last two decades. Both embody what greatness is all about, as they continue to put up numbers after each game that pass.
However, because of their battles throughout the years, it's also inevitable to compare The King and the Slim Reaper as basketball players. A few years ago, Rashad McCants believed Durant could end up being talked about as the better player over James, a take that Chandler Parsons does not agree with.
McCants recently sang a different tune than the one he belted in 2024, declaring that LBJ is the GOAT because of his longevity and the fact that nobody is playing at an elite level at his age. However, the former Minnesota Timberwolves first-round pick made a highly compelling case for KD over LeBron.
According to McCants, Durant's basketball skills are superior to James' in every aspect, except assists. KD is considered the better overall scorer, rim protector, and shooter than LBJ, so when the smoke clears, Rashad thought hoops fans would consider the former the better player down the road.
That take did not age well. For Parsons, who played in the NBA for nine years, there is no universe where Durant is better than James in terms of individual and team accomplishments.
"I love Kevin Durant . Sure, like a one-on-one offensive game package, Kevin Durant is a level above everybody with his ability and size, offensively," Parsons said on FanDuel's "Run it Back." "But career-wise, resume-wise, basketball-wise, accolades-wise, he's not even close. But I understand, as a hooper, as an individual performer… he's better in that aspect, but it's always been LeBron."
As Parsons said, whenever James and Durant headline the matchup, it's always must-see TV. The Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets battled it out for Western Conference position over the past couple of days, and both games came down to the wire. However, it was Bron's basketball IQ that came to the fore, while KD struggled to put his team on his back.
Kevin scored only two points in the second half of their first matchup and had more turnovers than field goal attempts. The Lakers double-teamed him at every turn in the clutch, and Durant failed to capitalize on the numbers game at the back end.
In the second game, Durantula ran a different script, but suffered the same result. He tried to take a step back for Alperen Sengun , scoring only two points in the first half while coming alive with 16 in the second. Still, the Rockets' defense had no answer for Luka Doncic 's 40, while LeBron diced them up with an ultra-efficient 30-point night.
Durant has always been given the flowers because of his deep offensive bag, but people have been overstating his impact, especially in recent years. The Phoenix Suns went deep in the trenches when they traded for KD and miraculously recovered their footing after getting rid of him.
Similarly, the Rockets went 52-30 last year, and they are not any better with him in the lineup. H-Town has to go 11-3 over the next 14 games just to tie that W-L record, a scenario that becomes less realistic with each passing game.
While James had to endure the prevailing narrative of the Lakers playing better without him, the NBA's all-time leading scorer remarkably adjusted on the fly. JJ Redick moved him away from ball-handling duties and instead put him in spots where he could conserve his energy.
As a result, the four-time MVP got himself better shots ( 75.7 TS% over the past three games ), put himself in better rebounding positions ( second in rebounding rate over the same span ), while still maintaining a decent usage rate (20.7 percent).
Durant can put the ball in the basket, but that's about it. Without the rock in his hands, KD is point-blank not as effective as LBJ is. Meanwhile, James is entering a new phase of his career and discovering that he is still elite at what he does. Kevin can still get buckets, but LeBron's ability to be potent wherever he finds himself on the floor is second to none.
Related: "I'm not surprised anymore" – Kevin Durant on LeBron James' near-perfect outing vs. Houston
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
