Kevin Durant Finds Motivation from Rockets' Former All-NBA Guards

Kevin Durant has one of the most decorated basketball resumes ever amassed. He just passed Michael Jordan, the game's greatest player ever, arguably. To many, at least.

He's won MVPs, scoring titles, NBA titles and Finals MVP trophies. There's a pretty strong argument to be made for Durant being a top-10 player historically.

This season, Durant averaged 26 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, two stocks, 52 percent from the field, 41.3 percent from deep, 87.4 percent from the foul line, 58.8 percent effective shooting and 64.1 percent true shooting. Durant also had the sixth-most 30-point games this season, with 29.

And even hit a few game-winners for the Rockets, including a dagger over his former Phoenix Suns. He's shown no signs of slowing down. Especially as a scorer.

And part of the reason has been because of the high level of play that we've seen from players that Durant entered the league with, or entered the league in close proximity with. Take Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, who lit it up in the play-in tournament opener and dropped 35 points.

Or LeBron James, who averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 51.5 percent from the field during his 23rd season. At 41 years of age.

Durant has gone into great lengths and detail about his true love for the game. And he's expressed appreciation for the sustained level of greatness by the aforementioned pioneers.

"I’m just so grateful that I graced the league with these guys at the same time. Because we’ve competed so hard against one another for so long, and then when you get older you start appreciating how hard it is to get up every day. You got aches and bruises sometimes, you don’t even know where they come from.”

You see guys get up with that much energy every day, you get inspired and want to do the same thing,” Durant continued. “LeBron has been pushing me since he turned 37, 38. And he’s setting a new standard for older guys in the league. And so with Steph, he’s (38), I feel like he got quicker and faster."

Durant also mentioned former Rockets All-NBA Guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook.

"James [Harden], after he left Brooklyn he turned it up a notch when he got to the Clippers. Russ, still look good coming off the bench. So seeing these dudes makes me want to go to the gym and work on my game and keep going.”

Westbrook and Harden spent a season together on the Rockets and both made the All-NBA team. They also both played with Durant on the Oklahoma City Thunder at the start of their careers.

Durant and the Rockets are slated to face off against James' Lakers in the Western Conference Quarterfinals, in what could very well prove to be the final postseason matchup between the two NBA legends.

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