Physical Advantage
Jordan’s “prime” is harder to pinpoint than you might think. When he first entered the NBA in 1984, his weight was listed at just 189. Over the course of his career, he added significant heft, probably topping out at 216 in between his second stint with the Chicago Bulls and his brief time with the Washington Wizards.
Even at his heaviest, though, he’s clearly undersized in comparison to Durant, who, although once considered spindly and underweight, is now listed at 240.
Still, though KD has the advantage here, Jordan is likely the stronger of the two. Weight training became an obsession for him, looking for any advantage against his peers.
This isn’t to say that Durant would be a pushover but the advantage in weight would be mitigated by Jordan’s superior strength.
Where Durant clearly tops Jordan is in terms of height and reach. Jordan was listed at 6’6” with a 6’9” wingspan while KD is listed at 6’9” (though he might be even taller) with an impressive 7’4” wingspan.
That length would be a huge boost for Durant in a game of one-of-one, able to contest Jordan for rebounds and, of course, shoot right over him from anywhere on the court.
In terms of overall quickness, Jordan gets the nod. Watching him play early in his career, you can see him moving at a different speed than everyone else – defenders seems stuck in cement as Jordan simply whizzes by.
But, while his end-to-end quickness is greater, in a direct half-court matchup, Jordan’s speed wouldn’t be as much of a factor. He’d use his explosive first step to get past Durant but finishing over those long limbs would be difficult, negating this slight advantage.
Although, physically, it’s more of a matchup than you might think, the edge in this category goes to Durant.
KD – 1, MJ – 0
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