Kevin Durant picks LeBron James, Larry Bird and $50,000,000 superstar to complete Mt. Rushmore of small forwards

Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant is one of the greatest scorers of all time and is often named among the best forwards in NBA history. On Sunday, a clip from 2022 resurfaced on X (formerly Twitter) where KD was asked to name his Mt. Rushmore of small forwards.

“Never ask you this, but you’re on the spot with this one like everybody else. Your Mount Rushmore of small forwards. You’re in the Mount Rushmore, and I don’t want you to be modest. So who are the other three who join that Mount Rushmore with you?” the interviewer asked.

Durant quickly responded to the query by naming three forwards.

Trending

"LeBron, Kawhi, Larry Bird," KD expressed.

Picking some All-time greats, Kawhi Leonard was a great shout on the list. Despite his struggles with injuries, "The Klaw" is one of the greatest small forwards to play the game and was a part of two iconic teams, the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors. Leading both teams to an NBA title, Leonard was awarded the Finals MVP during both runs.

Now with the LA Clippers, Kawhi Leonard signed a 3-year, $149.5 million max veteran contract with the team in 2024, carrying a $50 million cap hit this season. The two-time Finals MVP also earned a spot on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, joining Larry Bird, LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

LeBron James gives Kevin Durant his flowers while discussing his shooting prowess

Kevin Durant made an appearance on the "Mind the Game" podcast alongside hosts LeBron James and Steve Nash earlier this month. During the episode, the trio discussed their careers in detail while dissecting the game of basketball. However, one moment stood out when LeBron gave KD his flowers.

Expressing his admiration for the forward and his shooting prowess, Bron explained how Durant hasn't shot below 50% since 2012.

" He's so f***ing great, He hasn't shot under 50% since 2012," LeBron expressed. "This guy, when it comes to three-level score—three-pointers, mid-range, below the Gary Payton area, below the Malone area, and finishing— we haven't had a scorer as equipped as KD in our league," he explained.

Durant will be hoping to continue averaging this figure in Houston as he hopes to win his third NBA title.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

Arian Kashyap

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

Know More