NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
When you think of Kevin Durant, what’s the first thing that pops into your head? Is it his Twitter personality? What about being one of the best all-around scorers the NBA has ever seen? While both of those are true, for most, it comes down to the Big 3.
The Big 3 was a term that was used to describe the trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce during their stint with the Boston Celtics. However, it became popular and cool when LeBron James and Chris Bosh decided to join Dwayne Wade with the Miami Heat.
And there it is. The Big 3 normally refers to a trio but what happens when one player has been tied to a Big 3 in every city he has played? Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the NBA career of Kevin Durant.
Beginning with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant would pair with James Harden and Russell Westbrook. This was to be the next dynasty in the NBA after they made it to the NBA Finals in 2012. But the trio never got past that as moves were made and Durant and Westbrook as a pair could never return.
Durant wanted more and in the process and he would go on to win two championships. In the summer of 2016, Durant would join another pair of superstars in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson with the Golden State Warriors. And there it is, another a Big 3. Two teams, two different trios. But he was not done.
Following his run with Golden State, Kevin Durant would head to the Brooklyn Nets where he formed another Big 3 that included himself, Kyrie Irving, and a reunion with Harden. From one Big 3 to another and then to another.
Is Kevin Durant A First Ballot Hall of Famer
His time in Brooklyn would be met with criticism that the team just folded each year. But wait, one would think that after being a part of 3 different Big 3s, Durant would have had enough. Nope, he wanted more.
He basically forced his way out of Brooklyn and was traded to the Phoenix Suns last season where he would form another Big 3 with Chris Paul and Devin Booker. As we know, that plan did not work either. And just when you thought a player of his caliber would see the light, the Suns pulled off a miraculous trade in the last few days that will pair Durant with Booker, and now Bradley Beal. Yes, another a Big 3 to add to his resume.
Kevin Durant has played for 4 teams and in each, he has been a member of a Big 3. While the Celtics made it notable, the Heat make it popular but Durant, made it all seems foolish. Now, even fans who love to watch All-Star games and play NBA2K are turning their noses up at any mention of a Big 3.
In Durant’s defense, he’s not a GM or agent. But the issue here is that he has had arguably the most talent surrounding him outside of James over his career and has only two titles to show for it. Durant is a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer but for most, his resume would be followed by an asterisk just because of his teammates.
Somewhere along the line when looking at his career, people will forget his numbers. They will forget how unguardable he was. All they will remember is the Big 3 and that’s a shame because Kevin Durant is a once-in-a-lifetime player.
