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#3 Win two more NBA titles
To really enter the NBA GOAT debate, Kevin Durant and any other superstar will need to guide his team to several NBA championships. Individual accolades and impressive numbers are definitely great, but collective achievements and a big influence on those achievements is part of the resume of any player in the GOAT debate.
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Durant, as mentioned earlier, has already won two NBA championships, but those have not been enough for him to be considered among the Top 5 players in NBA history.
If he manages to reach at least four NBA championships, his GOAT case could take a solid boost.
#2 Add a couple of Finals MVPs to his resume
The NBA GOAT debate is obviously a matter of subjective evaluation of a player's achievements that often includes, among fans, excuses or a blind eye on said player's weaknesses.
What is not subjective, though, are the facts. If Kevin Durant truly shows he is the current best player in the NBA, then leading his team to NBA championships and adding a couple more Finals MVP trophies to his resume would be feasible.
Kevin Durant won the 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals MVPs with tremendous performances for the Golden State Warriors against LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers. He averages 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game with 55/47/92 shooting splits in the 2017 NBA Finals.
In the 2018 edition, Durant put up 28.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game with a 52/40/96 shooting split. With two NBA Finals MVPs added to his resume, Durant would be ahead of the likes of Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan (all of whom won three), tied with LeBron James and only behind Michael Jordan (six).
#1 Win an NBA title without a team that is the overwhelming favorite
Whether it is fair or not, Kevin Durant is still criticized for joining a Golden State Warriors' team that already was a proven NBA champion and was coming off the greatest regular-season in NBA history and defeating his team.
Although he managed to win two championships with the squad and won Finals MVP honors twice, there are many who say Durant's rings are not in the same category as those from Dirk Nowitzki or Giannis Antetokounmpo.
If he accomplishes all the points mentioned earlier, but he does it with another super team (the Brooklyn Nets as currently constructed), Kevin Durant will not put the current criticism to rest.
However, if Kevin Durant eventually adds a championship that comes without a group of superstars around him, the narrative will change regarding his status among the contenders for the NBA GOAT tag.
Also read: Kevin Durant vs Stephen Curry: Who ranks ahead on the NBA’s all-time list?
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