“Jordan was Everything, He’s a God-level”: Kevin Durant Lauds Phil Jackson for Bringing Michael Jordan to This Level

In anticipation of Michael Jordan’s documentary series ‘Last dance’, the fans seem really hyped up. NBA stars are just the same. Kevin Durant talked with Jay Williams prior to the release of the series about ‘MJ-the player and the model of inspiration’. Those who were lucky to watch Michael Jordon play in his prime days will pace back to their childhood days. KD is one of them, as excited as anybody to watch it.

KD was just 10 years old when MJ held his last NBA championship in the 1997-98 season. The legend won six of them, maybe that’s why he’s called one. Many players came and went by playing their best game of basketball but MJ’s legacy is still persistent. When asked about the ‘Jordan phase’, KD went like, “Jordan was everything.”

As a kid, KD was one of them who looked up to Jordan as the best of all time. “When you watched him play, your eyes were always glued to the TV. Glued to him,” Durant added, “He just personified winning and competitiveness and you know as a young player I took from that.” 

It’s the immense respect that Michael Jordan has earned for his game that makes him the greatest NBA player of all time. His sensational skills were what set him apart and made him different from the rest. Jay Williams looked into how all those childhood days watching MJ play translated to KD. “He’s always prepared for every moment.” Kevin added to it and even said, “When I got older and more mature, I realized some of the tactics that he used was definitely part of the leadership quality that he had.”

KD praises Phil Jackson

Durant just flowed words of flawlessness in the name of Jordan’s capabilities. He defined MJ’s game as ‘masterful level’ and admitted, “He’s a God-level player in my opinion.” Being an ardent fan of Jordan as a kid and a sophomore in basketball, KD has noticed bits and pieces of his game in detail. Kevin mentioned ‘Air Jordan’ as the best shooters to ever play. MJ’s footwork, body placement while taking shots and athleticism was commendable to watch as a young player for KD. “I think Phil Jackson unlocked a lot of that stuff for him.” is what Durant sums up his stand on.

Jay wanted Kevin to rank Michael in certain detailed aspects of the game. While his defense and his psychological game definitely deserve the highest but KD seemed to be really impressed with Jordan’s ball-handling as well. Kevin says that the NBA All-Star doesn’t need 5 or 6 crossovers to beat his defenders. His simplicity in ball-handling made him the best. “Ball-handling to me is more than just how fancy you could get,” KD mentioned.

There is immense inspiration that attracts Kevin Durant from Jordan’s skill set. But one thing that Kevin wants to take away from his game is his IQ. “His IQ for when to bring out certain moves.”