5 reasons why Kevin Durant should never be compared with LeBron James

#3. Handling the pressure

Los Angeles Lakers v Phoenix Suns

It can be argued that no player in history has had to endure the amount of pressure LeBron James has had to shoulder. People had tremendous expectations from him even before he was drafted into the league, and he continues to be the most scrutinized player in this social-media age.

LeBron James has been exemplary in handling pressure both on and off the court, and has never let the critics impact his performance.

Kevin Durant in ugly Twitter feud with C.J. McCollum who called his move to Warriors "soft." https://t.co/NH6ul0nxNs pic.twitter.com/sFrb7ueheK

— Dunk Bait (@DunkBait) July 26, 2018

On the other hand, Kevin Durant is often criticized for being too sensitive and 'soft'. He often takes criticism too seriously and has slapped back at his detractors on Twitter. He even admitted to owning multiple burner accounts on Twitter in order to respond to fans.

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#4. Fleeing a sinking ship

Steph Curry and Kevin Durant

The biggest black mark in Kevin Durant's career so far has been his decision to join the Golden State Warriors in 2016. In the previous season, the Warriors had won a record 73 regular season-games and had defeated the OKC Thunder in 7 games in the Conference Finals.

"It hurt me, and it hurt us. We were like brothers. ... Everybody was shocked when Kevin Durant signed with Golden State. They just won 73 games; they don't need no help." — @Enes_Kanter pic.twitter.com/JHYXTNhXzv

— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) July 23, 2018

Kevin Durant took the easy way out in the 2016 free agency, and joined a team that was already stacked with superstars like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Though Kevin Durant went on to win 2 NBA championships with the team, there'll always be an asterisk next to it because of how good the Warriors were even without him.

While a similar argument can be made about LeBron James joining the Miami Heat in 2010, he redeemed himself by going back to Cleveland in 2014 and helping them get to their first NBA championship in 2016.

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#5. Versatility

Cleveland Cavaliers v Toronto Raptors - Game Three

Though Kevin Durant is one of the most skilled players in the league, his versatility is mostly limited to scoring baskets. He is not known for his playmaking abilities and doesn't possess as many intangibles as LeBron James.

LeBron’s playmaking is really off the charts🔥pic.twitter.com/s8PTWymIcF

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 1, 2020

Magic Johnson recently called LeBron James the best 'all-around' player in NBA history. Apart from being an efficient, consistent scorer, LeBron is an elite playmaker and elevates his teammates to the next level whenever he's on the court.

He can also rebound the ball on both ends of the court and can defend multiple positions. In his 17-year career, LeBron James has played as a point guard, a wing, a power forward, and even as a center at times.

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