"99 players don’t get swept in the first round" - Shannon Sharpe asserts Giannis Antetokounmpo is a better player than Kevin Durant through NBA 2K analogy

Kevin Durant recently expressed that he is unhappy with 2K Sports’ assessment of him after he was given an overall rating of 96 in NBA 2K23. Durant sent out a tweet to Ronnie Singh, the digital marketing director for 2K, claiming to be worthy of a 99 rating.

Durant was individually excellent for the Brooklyn Nets last season amidst all the drama surrounding the franchise. With Kyrie Irving out for a sizeable chunk of the season, Durant carried the load offensively, averaging 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.6 assists in 55 games.

However, KD couldn't stop his team from being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics.

Reacting to Kevin Durant’s comments on his NBA 2K23 rating, analyst Shannon Sharpe made strong claims on “Undisputed":

“99 players don't get swept in the first round. That's why you're not 99. And you can be 99, as long as Giannis is a 100.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo asserted dominance throughout the regular season. He averaged a double-double with 29.9 points and 11.6 rebounds, along with 5.8 assists.

The Milwaukee Bucks finished their regular season with a 51-31 record, and took the Boston Celtics to Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Antetokounmpo has received a rating of 97 in NBA 2K23.

Also Checkout:- Giannis Antetokounmpo's Net Worth

Sharpe furthered his argument after comparing Durant and Antetokounmpo’s stats, finding nothing to prove that the Nets superstar is better. He said in conversation with Skip Bayless:

“For me, Giannis should be rated higher. So whatever grade you want to give Kevin Durant, as long as Giannis is higher than that, I'm cool with it.

“Skip, Giannis is the best player in basketball. If Giannis only got a 97, I don't know how they put somebody over him.”

Also Checkout:- Giannis Antetokounmpo's Net Worth

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Kevin Durant is not blind to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s greatness

Although Kevin Durant feels he’s the best player in the NBA right now, he’s aware that Giannis Antetokounmpo is catching up.

Durant’s admiration of the Greek freak dates back to when Giannis won the Most Improved Player award for the 2016-17 season. He called the Bucks star a future MVP.

A few months later, Durant was on the “Bill Simmons Podcast” and acknowledged that Antetokounmpo was better than him in many respects:

“Look at Giannis. Giannis Antetokounmpo, this guy is scary. He's more athletic than I am. He's longer than me. He's faster. He's going to be stronger than I am.”

Durant witnessed Antetokounmpo’s ability in front of his eyes when the Nets and Bucks matched up in the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals. Both Giannis and Durant stepped up for their teams as the series was drawn out to seven games.

Durant outplayed Antetokounmpo in terms of individual contributions, even in Game 7 when the pair scored 40+ points each. However, the Milwaukee Bucks came out victorious in the final game, putting an end to what many expected to be a title year for the Brooklyn Nets.