NBA Legend Larry Bird Made His Feelings Clear About Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant, now 36 and a new Houston Rockets star, is highlighted as one of the best players in NBA history. His performance last season included averages of 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game across 62 games, with shooting percentages of 52.7% from the field and 43.0% from three-point range.

Boston Celtics legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Larry Bird praised Durant in an interview with NBA on TNT last year. Bird stated that he initially expected Durant to potentially win the scoring title "six or seven years in a row" if healthy, describing him as "so smooth on the offensive end" and a "very talented player," adding that he always wanted to see Durant succeed. Given Bird's status as a top-ten all-time player, this endorsement is significant.

Despite facing criticism during his career, Durant is considered unquestionably on track to finish among the top 15-20 players of all time. The article notes a historical achievement: 15 years ago, Durant became the youngest player ever to win the regular season scoring title at age 21, averaging 30.1 points per game.

For context on Larry Bird, the article mentions he spent his entire 13-year career with the Boston Celtics, helping lead them to three NBA Championships and winning three consecutive MVP awards from 1984 to 1986. It also references a specific high-scoring game where Bird scored 60 points against the Hawks in 1985.