One_and_Done wrote:Durant was better on O and D,
Is there any evidence that it's true?
and had a skill set that makes him one of the best complementary stars of all-time.
I mean, Kobe didn't struggle as a complementary star next to Shaq...
If you're an Ortg guy then KD's averages and peaks are all better than Kobe.
Do you mean basketball-reference Ortg? Do you know what does this stat measure?
If you look at scoring per 100 possessions to adjust he kills him there too.
Does he?
Durant at 19-34 years old: 37.1 pp100
Kobe at 19-34 years old: 36.7 pp100
I wouldn't call it a "kill" and that's before we start adjusting for era inflation.
TS%? It's KD.
Yes, Durant was a notably more efficient scorer than Kobe. That alone doesn't make him a better basketball player though, so I'm waiting for more evidences.
Did I mention KD is almost 7 feet tall and can play 4-5 positions, while providing limited rim protection and strong D at his peak?
Durant isn't 7 feet tall, he can't and didn't play 4-5 positions (too weak for a bigman, too weak handles for a guard), so calling his rim protection "limited" is the only thing you got right in this sentence.
His longevity is enough that Kobe can't use that to get ahead.
Is it? His longevity is nothing special, he missed two full seasons in his prime and a lot of games after 2020, making his prime short and poor durability-wise.
The argunent for Kobe is what? Ringzzz? KD appears to be better than him in almost every way.
I didn't mention rings in any moment of this conversation.
Kobe's case is that he's significantly better playmaker due to his ball-handling and passing skills being on a completely different tier, which along with his scoring skillset makes him a better, more resilient offensive player for the playoffs competition. Kobe proved in 2008-10 period that he was capable of leading his team to the highest heights against top tier competition as a clear best player. That's something Durant never accomplished and KD's postseason career outside of GSW is full of underwhelming results.
His case is also a huge longevity and durability advantage.