Thunder's Durant: 'I feel like I'm the best player in the world'
Missing all but 27 games last season hurt Kevin Durant's stock, with the likes of Stephen Curry and James Harden elevating themselves in the debate of who's the greatest player in the NBA, but it didn't change his own opinion of where he stands.
Slowly nearing 100 percent health, the four-time scoring champion is ready to thrust his name back into the conversation. Practicing with Team USA on Wednesday, the Oklahoma City Thunder forward made it crystal clear how confident he is in his abilities when on top of his game:
KD: "No disrespect to anyone else but I feel like I'm the best player in the world."
— Vincent Goodwill (@vgoodwill) August 12, 2015
The 26-year-old was named the 2013-14 NBA MVP, leading the Thunder to a 59-23 record and fourth straight Northwest division title. Last season was a different story, though, with a Jones fracture in his right foot costing him the first 17 games of the year. He was eventually shut down for good in late March after it was revealed he would need bone graft surgery.
Despite his ongoing recovery, Durant elected to take part in Team USA's minicamp in Las Vegas, telling reporters he can "go 100 percent." It was mandatory for any player who wants in on the 2016 Olympic team to appear at the camp in some capacity, whether they took part in physical activity or not.
The majority of NBA fans would lean towards LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers as the best basketball talent on the planet, and rightfully so. "The King" was a one-man wrecking crew in the NBA Finals, averaging close to a triple-double against the Golden State Warriors, despite falling short in six games. Even when KD was on the floor, James has always been looked at as being just a little bit better than the six-time All-Star.
"It used to piss me off, but I love it now," Durant told ESPN.com during the Finals about how his name has slipped in the minds of fans. "Just gotta show and prove. I don't deserve to be up there with them this year. Next year is a different story."
In 569 career games, the former Texas Longhorn is averaging 27.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from 3-point range.