On 7 February, 2023, LeBron James reached a place nobody ever has. He became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing the icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. James’ consistency and longevity were undisputable, leading many to make an argument about him being the best scorer in the NBA. In terms of volume and the body of work, there’s no counter. However, in the King’s eyes, there’s a seven-footer who is unlike anything he has ever seen.

That’s the Slim Reaper, Kevin Durant. His cerebral scoring acumen is abnormal for his size. But what makes him such a catalytic force has always been efficiency. Even after an Achilles tear and being 36, he was a virtuoso last season. That’s the part of his game that leaves LeBron James stumped.

“He hasn’t shot under 50% since like 2012. And in a league that doesn’t talk about efficiency enough, because I’m one of those efficiency guys… This guy is when it comes to three-level scoring, three pointers, mid-range, below the Gary Payton area, below the Malone area, and finishing. We haven’t had a scorer as equipped as KD in our league ever,” he said about Durant on Mind the Game.

That was always Durant’s potential. At nearly seven feet tall, his handles and movement are as fluent as a guard’s. His crossover, a key tool of his arsenal, is arguably one of the hardest to guard because of his long wingspan. As a defender, there’s not a lot that can be done to stop a perfectionist like Durant is.

Kobe Bryant, a methodical student of the game, retired without knowing how to properly contain the Reaper. PJ Tucker had to trick his mind to prevent being discouraged as KD gave him a hard time. These are just some of the stories. However, as much as his natural ability plays a part, Durant isn’t unflappable by accident.

Although there was immense promise in his early years, Durant had his struggles on the way to becoming the ultimate scorer.

Kevin Durant wasn’t always a master

Looking at his flashy handles, calculated footwork, and towering jump shot today, it’s hard to imagine Kevin Durant was ever bad at his job. He’s averaged 20 points in every single season he’s played in the NBA. Furthermore, over time, Durant has developed his playmaking to an outstanding level, making the right reads and playing for the team.

But coming from the Texas Longhorns, KD was a raw talent. He hadn’t caught up to the pace of the NBA. So initially, he did make mistakes.

“I didn’t shoot well my first two months, three months, no my first six months of the season. I think I started to figure out the pace of the game, understanding the pick and roll, I was getting more pin downs. And when I was coming off pick and rolls early in the season, I was just shooting,” Durant told James and Steve Nash on Mind The Game.

With his size, shooting over defenders was a move that came to him without much thought. However, the NBA demands evolution. So while he began to pick his spots to score the ball, Kevin Durant also learned about being effective in the pick-and-roll rather than rushing it.

“I’m looking at my teammates’ faces, I’m like, damn, he was open. You know what I’m saying? So like, I just started to understand my teammates more in the game more, and I wanted to be trusted in every situation on the offensive side of the ball,” Durant added.

The thirst to keep growing came from his pure love for basketball. One constant thought keeps his motivation alive. Durant wants to continue to “expand my game”. The commitment to doing so has led to him becoming one of transcendent scorers in the history of the NBA. Whether it be execution or just getting a bucket, Durant wanted his coach to have full faith in him. That has now extended to the point that even opponents know he is capable of doing it all on the offensive end of the floor.

Grounded enough to learn, but Kevin Durant knows how the schemes change when he enters the game. Still, the answer to stop him is to just make things as difficult and clumsy as possible.