Home » NBA » “It still gives me chills to this day” – Kevin Durant opens up on high praise from NBA legends Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant

Kevin Durant voices his feelings from the time when he was praised by the late Kobe Bryant and legend Michael Jordan

The Brooklyn Nets forward, Kevin Durant is undoubtedly a superstar in the modern NBA. His scoring prowess easily makes him a Top 3 player in today’s NBA. In short, KD knows how to ball and is very good at his job.

Kevin Durant Kobe Bryant
Kevin Durant is heavily influenced by Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. (Image: Getty)

In his 16-year NBA career, Durant has experienced many things in terms of basketball. Also, he has received countless praises and critiques alike, from many people. According to KD, the comments made by people motivate him daily to work hard on the basketball court.

Recently, in an NBA TV interview with 3-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford, KD and Jamal sat down and both of them revisited soundbites from the late Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan talking about Durant’s play and the impact he is leaving on the game of basketball.

“It still gives me chills to this day,” Durant told Jamal Crawford. “I played for that validation from my peers. I feel like I’m playing to shift the game forward and I respect what they’ve put into the game. It’s only right for me to live up to that standard every day. I want them to say, ‘Oh, you’re doing it the right way.’

“Especially guys like Kob, MJ, you, Bron, Melo, all the guys I watched, T-Mac. The people that watch my game and have been watching me since I came into the league. For them to give me that respect, that’s like a championship to me. We’re a brotherhood. We’re all connected somehow just because we put in that work and made it to this level. I feel like I’m representing all of y’all every time I step on the floor. I like when I hear that from my peers.”

Nicknamed the ‘Slim Reaper’, 34-year-old Kevin Durant is already a two-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, NBA Most Valuable Player (2014), and a twelve-time NBA All-Star. Moreover, he currently sits 16th all-time on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

Peers and opponents who have shared the hardcourt with Durant have always complimented Durant’s incredible basketball talent. So, it is no surprise that Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan did the same and were complimentary of Durant.

Just earlier this month, Orlando Magic head coach Steve Clifford compared the Nets star to Bryant.

Durant thanked Clifford for the compliment and talked about the influence Michael Jordan and the late Los Angeles Lakers legend had on his game.

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