Veteran forward Kevin Durant was asked to name his Mt. Rushmore of small forwards at a basketball event recently. In response, the Houston Rockets star named himself, LeBron James, Larry Bird and Kawhi Leonard.
While it’s indisputable that Durant, James and Bird belong on the list, many fans and analysts pushed back on his choice to go with the oft-injured Leonard.
On paper, Leonard, a former two-time NBA Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year, makes a compelling case. However, his overall body of work pales in comparison to other legendary small forwards such as “Dr. J” Julius Erving, Lakers icon Elgin Baylor, Bulls great Scottie Pippen and Warriors legend Rick Barry. Others who warranted consideration include Dominque Wilkins, Paul Pierce and Bernard King.
Even George “The Iceman” Gervin — a four-time scoring champion — warrants consideration, although he played both shooting guard and small forward.
Several Lakers Left Out
Leonard (14,733 points) ranks 164th all-time in scoring in the regular season, considerably behind the 35th-ranked Baylor (23,149 points), 16th-ranked Wilkins (26,668), and 18th-ranked Pierce (26,397).
While “The Klaw” is 24th all-time in playoff points with 3,133, he still lags behind Bird, Pierce, Pippen and Baylor, and is only marginally ahead of Erving and James Worthy.
It’s also worth noting that Leonard (6) ranks 53rd in All-NBA/ABA selections, placing behind Erving, Barry, Baylor, Bird, Gervin, Tracy McGrady, Pippen, Wilkins, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George. It’s not a stretch to claim that one of the four greatest small forwards should have received more All-NBA honors after 13 years in the league.
Has Kevin Durant Found His Home?
Ever since he left the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016, Durant has been seeking a sense of permanence with a team. Although he won two titles with the Warriors, he was always viewed as a mercenary. He chose the Nets and Suns, but neither experience worked in his favor. Could the Rockets finally provide him stability?
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne believes the Rockets could be the team where Durant, 36, finishes his career, citing the culture built by head coach Ime Udoka.
“[Durant] needs the coach to be the coach and be the leader in that locker room and hold guys accountable,” Shelburne told ESPN’s “NBA Today” on July 28, via SI.com.
“And that is what he’s going to get with Ime Udoka. Kevin Durant is not going to have to be the loudest voice in the room,” added Shelburne.
“Every place he’s ever been, that’s what he’s asked out of the coach, and I think this is probably the best fit he’s ever had. I know Oklahoma City, those were some good fits. The Warriors, I think that sort of ran its course. Obviously, it wasn’t a fit in Brooklyn with Steve Nash, and then last year with Budenholzer.”
Durant’s Rockets enter the 2025-26 season with the fifth-shortest odds (+800) to win the NBA title, and the third-shortest odds to represent the West in the NBA Finals. Last season, Udoka’s Rockets finished as the second seed, a year after battling for a play-in berth. The addition of Durant could be the piece that gets them to the mountaintop.
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