Kevin Durant is overseas as part of a Nike promotional tour for the KD 8, and spoke with website NBA Maniacs, which is published in Spanish. He was asked who his all-time starting five would be, and Durant gave a pretty informed answer, which does not include his friend LeBron James. From NBA Maniacs, with a sloppy translation from Google Translate:
Finally, many of your supporters have asked us to ask you about your ideal team in NBA history.
Well, good question. I would stay with Magic Johnson as a basis for their exceptional height, vision and be a triple-double machine. As guard Kobe Bryant is a legend and five-time champion. It's been half-life in the NBA! Michael Jordan like three. Sorry for Larry Bird , but I have to let him out for Kobe. As a power forward is difficult, between Karl Malone, Tim Duncan ... I stay with Tim Duncan . For longevity, the securities and the impact it has had and still has on the court. And Shaquille O'Neal as a dominant power forward.
Source: Exclusive Interview with Kevin Durant, "Grizzlies and Spurs are very tough opponents" - nbamaniacs.
So I'm assuming that last part is referring to center and not power forward with Shaq, so the lineup looks like:
PG: Magic Johnson
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Michael Jordan
PF: Tim Duncan
C: Shaquille O'Neal
That's obviously an unbelievable five-man roster, but there simply would not be enough shots for Jordan and Bryant. And taking the ball out of Magic's hands to give it to those two would mitigate what Magic could do. Duncan would be fine with taking a lesser role, but O'Neal would want his touches in the post, too.
However, there would be no rebounds for the other team, not with Duncan and Shaq. Zero, zip, zilch. And the defense 1-5 would be really incredible, even if this included late-prime Shaq where his defensive effort wasn't great. If you're taking these guys out of time, it presents some interesting questions.
Do you take early prime Duncan, where he was more of a post presence and more athletic, but not as polished? Or the 2014 version who was a DPOY candidate and able to play as part of a larger system? Do you take 96 Shaq who had more athleticism or 2002 Shaq who was simply unstoppable?
How about Jordan? Do you take 89 when he was breathtakingly athletic and able to make incredible plays, or the 93 version when he was at the peak of his abilities as a scorer?
Anyway, that's the top five for Durant, which doesn't include himself or LeBron. Hard to argue with that list, though.
