In a 2018 interview, Kobe Bryant was questioned about the most challenging player to defend in the NBA, and he promptly identified Kevin Durant. During a recent interaction with fans, Suns forward Kevin Durant was asked about Bryant’s acknowledgment that he found Durant difficult to defend. Responding on Twitter, Durant expressed satisfaction, stating, “I felt like I was making an impact.”
During the interview, Bryant explained that when Durant first came into the NBA, he was “easy to defend.” The Lakers legend said the young wing couldn’t go right and shoot, couldn’t turn left shoulder while in the post and couldn’t finish at the rim with his left hand.
However, Durant eventually developed his game and became one of the most lethal scorers in NBA history and Bryant couldn’t figure out a formula to slow him down.
“I retired without really being able to figure out how I can stop him,” Bryant said in 2018.
As it stands now, Durant is thirteenth all-time in NBA scoring at 26,892 points at 34 years old and has led the NBA in scoring on four different occasions. He’s also the youngest scoring champion ever after his impressive 2009–10 campaign when he led all scorers at just 21 years old.
The two players were good friends and it’s clear Durant had earned Bryant’s respect on the hardwood—something he still appreciates to this day.
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