Getty Kevin Durant attempts a layup during the 2012 NBA Finals.
Last weekend was the official induction ceremony for the 2020 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class. The star-studded 2020 class was headlined by Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and of course the late Kobe Bryant. The 2020 Class has been regarded as maybe the best class of all time. Between Kobe, Duncan, and KG alone the class has 11 championships, 5 NBA Finals MVPs, and 4 regular season MVPs.
During the induction of the 2020 Class, the 2021 Hall of Fame class was also announced and from the looks of it, 2020 may already have some competition. The 2021 Hall of Fame class is headlined by Chris Webber, Paul Pierce, and Chris Bosh but one name that has flown under the radar in the group is WNBA legend, Lauren Jackson.
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Lauren Jackson Compares Herself to Kevin Durant
Jackson spent all 11 of her WNBA seasons with the Seattle Storm and during her tenure in ‘The W’, she became one of the most decorated basketball talents of all time. The 6’5 Australia native was known for being a stretch forward that could knock down perimeter shots and play in the post as well. The 2021 inductee spoke with reporter Landon Buford last month and said she likens her game to that of Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant.
“Yeah, I think so. We both were stretch bigs that could shoot. We both could play under the rim and in the post,” Jackson said of her game in comparison to KD via LandonBuford.com.
Despite only spending 11 seasons in the WNBA, Jackson accomplished more than most have in careers of 15 years plus. During her tenure, she won 3 WNBA Most Valuable Player awards, 2 WNBA championships, 3 WNBA scoring titles, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and a WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. She accomplished this in large part because of her unicorn-type abilities, similar to Durant.
“I think there are definitely some similarities, and it isn’t easy to compare men and women,” Jackson continued. “I think if there were a female and male comparison, it would be similar. I can also see a comparison to Tim Duncan as well, possibly.”
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Monique Currie Chimes in on the KD and Lauren Jackson Comparisons
While Jackson’s claim may be bold, the Hall of Famer is not just tooting her own horn. Former first-round pick Monique Currie was a speaker in the WBB WEEKLY After-Hours room on Clubhouse last month and took it one step further saying that Jackson was the original KD.
“She did not miss; she rebounded, hit pull-ups, and did everything. You just watched her with amazement; she what 6’5, 6’6? And she was like a KD before there was a KD,” Currie said of Jackson via LandonBuford.com.
“She is definitely one of the most exciting players to watch. She also had this I don’t give an F attitude. Australians are pretty tough, and they don’t take a lot of s***, and she was not afraid to get into people’s faces and dominate. She was a dominant player.”
The 2021 Hall of Fame class is loaded with talent. When KD does decide to finally hang them up, he will be in the Hall of Fame right next to his WNBA counterpart.
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