Analyst Calls Kevin Durant "The Most Overrated Player In The Last 25 Years"

To say that Kevin Durant wasn’t in peak form on Monday would be an understatement. In a game where the Houston Rockets could have moved closer to improving their playoff position, Durant was sloppy on multiple occasions, turning the ball over and looking lost against double teams.

After the Los Angeles Lakers sent the Rockets crashing down with a 100-92 victory, fans had a field day with Durant on social media. Among the naysayers taking shots at Durant was The Ringer’s Raheem Palmer, who did not hesitate to use a superlative in his criticism.

“Tonight's Lakers-Rockets game is a PRIME EXAMPLE of WHY I've been telling yall for YEARS that Kevin Durant is the single most overrated player in the last 25 years,” Palmer tweeted.

Those were fighting words, and Palmer had more. “This is always who's been when he doesn't have an ALL-NBA Point Guard or Steph Curry next him. If you put too much on his plate, he becomes a turnover prone liability and all his limitations are seen,” Palmer added.

Biased opinion? Sharp, biting analysis? Palmer’s tweet is something in between, but there’s definitely something to unpack here.

In terms of individual accomplishments, Durant has carved a niche of his own. The Rockets superstar can easily stake his claim as one of the finest offensive weapons in NBA history, given his accolades like scoring champion, NBA MVP, 11-time All-NBA member, and 16-time All-Star.

However, if the richest prize in the league is the barometer by which Durant’s success is measured, he falls short compared to some of his contemporaries. While KD does have two NBA championships, pundits have pointed out that he won these by joining an already-elite Golden State Warriors squad in the late 2010s.

For a number of reasons, Durant couldn’t replicate this success when he moved to the Brooklyn Nets, where he was joined by Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Durant also had no rings to show for his stints as a main man in Oklahoma City and Phoenix.

Will the Slim Reaper meet the same fate in Houston? Durant has a chance to rewrite the narrative. He won’t be able to do that, though, if he keeps folding against pressure defense and commits mindless mistakes like eight-second violations.

“He's strictly a one-on-one player and when you pull him outside of that role, he gets exposed for what he is,” Palmer tweeted.