Carmelo Anthony makes case for Kevin Durant as GOAT: ‘The most purest scorer this league has seen’

After Kevin Durant almost singlehandedly beat the Bulls on Monday with his 40-point performance, he then ignited the topic on whether if he deserves to be part of the GOAT conversation. 

Even though most fans and experts believe he still needs to prove himself late in his career to be taken into consideration for such a title, some are convinced that he’s already one of the best to ever play basketball.

Carmelo Anthony appeared on the latest edition of the 7PM in Brooklyn show and shared his thoughts. “Kevin Durant was recently interviewed, and he said, ‘despite all the accolades I got, I did everything that a GOAT is supposed to do but I ain’t in the GOAT conversation, what’s up with that?’…So at the end of the day when it’s all said and done, does KD deserve to be in the GOAT conversation?” he was asked.

Kevin Durant is confused why he’s not in the GOAT conversation

“Because I went to the Warriors. Why shouldn’t I be in that? That’s the question you should ask. Why not? What haven’t I done?”

(Via https://t.co/pHyvTDJMqA) pic.twitter.com/wQHsweFgHZ

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 21, 2024

“…absolutely! I hate the GOAT talk…he will go down as arguably the most purest scorer that this league has ever seen. He’s a five level scorer. There’s nowhere he can’t score on the court. He’s a champion…He’s seven feet. He changed the game,” he started out.

Melo then explained why he’s already one of the greatest. “How [are] you not going to say he’s not in the conversation with the GOAT?…If we talking ring culture, Michael Jordan is not the GOAT, Bill Russell is…But people gonna say Michael Jordan is the GOAT…to answer the question, yeah, that man is in the GOAT talk. He is a GOAT” he assured.

There’s no doubt that the Phoenix superstar is one of the purest and most clutch scorers the NBA has ever seen, but is his legacy greater than we think? In a recent conversation with the press, he suggested that there’s only one reason why he isn’t in the GOAT conversation. 

“Because I went to the Warriors,” he first said, as his decision to join Golden State was among the most controversial free-agent choices ever. “Why shouldn’t I be in that? That’s the question you should ask. Why not? What haven’t I done?”

Durant has been selected to play his 14th All-Star game in Indiana and earned $1.2M bonus from the Suns

As KD is in the middle of another impressive campaign, he was named to appear in his 14th NBA All-Star Game. As it was announced, the veteran forward posted a message that quickly went viral on social media.

“Thanks to the fans, media and most importantly my peers for voting me into my 14th all star game. Can’t wait to lock in and hoop with some of the greatest ever in Indy..” he wrote on X, as it already had 45,000 likes after a few hours.

Insider Bobby Marks then revealed that the player is set to receive an incentive in Phoenix. “Kevin Durant has earned a $1.2M bonus for his selection to the All-Star game. The bonus was deemed likely because Durant was selected in 2023,” he wrote.

One of his former teammates Kendrick Perkins, believes that we are seeing another side of KD, one we haven’t seen in years.

“I think right now we’re just seeing a polished version of Kevin Durant,” the ESPN analyst shared in a recent interview. “When he’s in that zone, everyone that’s watching is like, ‘That’s going in.’ And he believes it’s going in. It’s fun to share the floor with him. It’s even better to watch him as a fan and just a student of the game.”