Today’s OKC Thunder and Their Historic NBA Counterparts
By David Ramil
#1 – Current Thunder Player – Kevin Durant
Jake’s Historic Counterpart – George Gervin
Stats per 36 minutes:
Let me start by saying that there’s never been a Kevin Durant in the NBA. Really there’s never even been a player that is similar to Durant. Durant is as tall as a center, shoots like a 3-point specialist, handles like a guard, and stretches like Reed Richards. He’s an impossible cover and when he’s hot, he’s the most unstoppable athlete in any major sport. So to compare him to George Gervin (a Hall-of-Famer and Top-50 player of all time, mind you) feels like I might be selling KD a little short (which even though I believe this, still feels weird to write).
Nonetheless, both players made their living being the NBA’s pre-eminent scoring threats, torching lesser defenders and scoring titles in the process. Both lived on the wing despite height that would have allowed them to play closer to the block. This allowed them to shoot over pretty much any wing threat and, coupled with their extreme athleticism, were the basketball versions of a raging forest fire.
Simply put, no one could stop George Gervin in his prime. No one can stop Durant now.
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