By the time Kevin Durant was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics second overall in the 2007 NBA Draft, Kobe Bryant had already logged 11 years in the league. Nine years later, the late Los Angeles Laker called it a career, so the two had crossed paths in the Western Conference a fair amount.
During that time, Durant got a taste of what Bryant was like in the playoffs, facing him in the first round of the 2010 NBA Playoffs and the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2012 NBA Playoffs.
Even though Durant got the better of the Lakers the second time around after Bryant led his teammates to victory the first time they face the Thunder in the playoffs, no one worried the now Brooklyn Nets forward in clutch moments like the late legend, which he revealed on Barstool Sports’ “The Corp.”
[I was] scared [expletive] of Kobe late in games.
Durant was also asked to list off a few other unofficial accolades on “The Corp” (players he’s played with or against):
- Best ball handler – Kyrie Irving
- Best natural shooter – Steph Curry (Steve Novak was his No. 1 after Curry.)
- Best rebounder – Andre Drummond (Durant also mentioned Dennis Rodman)
- Best Defender – Tony Allen