Getty Suns star Kevin Durant
On the latest episode of his podcast called “The ETCs,” Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant name-dropped Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Durant talked about the mindset you have to have when you’re going up against players like Jordan and James.
“It’s an appropriate fear that you have for your opponents, knowing that if you aren’t locked in, this is the NBA. We’re all great players. Somebody can go off and kill you tonight So let me lock in and be ready. That’s the type of fear that I’m thinking about,” Durant said. “Like when you’re going against the best players, the Michael Jordans, the LeBron James, of course you feel you know that you’re getting into some sh*t tonight, but if you’re locked in and ready for it and you’re prepared for it, I won’t say you’re scared, but you know it can go either way. So you just got your head on a swivel, but I wouldn’t say anybody is like fearful of the challenge, don’t want to play, ducking guys for the night, call in with an injury. That type of stuff I don’t see much of.”
Durant’s statement came after host Eddie Gonzalez brought up the subject of players being scared to go up against superstars. Mario Chalmers, who played with James on the Miami Heat, said on March 18 that nobody fears LeBron.
“Nobody fears Bron,” Chalmers said on the In Shambles Podcast. “Nobody’s like, ‘Damn, I gotta go play against Bron tonight.’ Nobody said that. I don’t know why because I seen people be scared when they actually line up to him, but they’re not scared thinking about that matchup.”
James and Chalmers were teammates on the Heat from 2010-11 to 2013-14. Miami made it to four straight Finals, winning two championships and losing two.
Mario Chalmers: People Feared Michael Jordan
Chalmers said one of the differences between Jordan and James is players feared MJ. Jordan won six championships, six Finals MVPs, five regular-season MVPs and 10 scoring titles with the Chicago Bulls.
“You hear anybody from that era talk about going against Jordan, there’s a fear,” Chalmers said. “So when you have people that fear a player, then that’s telling you something different already. Like Jordan is just that guy. Like everything was, ‘I wanna be like Mike.’”
Jordan and James are universally recognized as the two best basketball players in NBA history. The two legends have combined to win nine regular-season MVPs, 10 rings and 10 Finals MVPs.
Kevin Durant on LeBron James: ‘It’s Always Been a Mutual Respect Amongst Us Two’
After the Suns finished practice on April 4, Durant talked about James, who became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in February. Phoenix and Los Angeles face each other on April 7.
“It’s been amazing,” Durant said about competing against James. “Just being in the league the same time as him. Just somebody whose a ultimate competitor. Somebody that you inspired by. … It’s always been a mutual respect amongst us two. It’s always been great battles when we play against each other.”
“I was surprised.”
Kevin Durant on having not played against LeBron James since 2018.
Durant and James have combined to win five regular-season MVPs, six titles and six Finals MVPs. LeBron and KD will be in the Hall of Fame one day.