Where Kevin Durant Fits Among Dominant Players of the 2010s

Three names tend to rise above the rest

Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States shooting guard Stephen Curry (4) and guard LeBron James (6) and guard Kevin Durant (7) celebrate with their gold medals on the podium after defeating France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

One of the biggest factors in basketball's greatest-of-all-time debate is the difference between eras. Due to the variance in competition, rules, and playing styles over the years, it is difficult to compare the career of a Hall of Fame talent, like Bill Russell, to a modern-day star, such as Nikola Jokic.

Although Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant is not a usual favorite as the greatest player of all time, he is undoubtedly one of basketball’s greats. His resume includes 16 All-Star selections, two NBA championships, an NBA MVP award, two NBA Finals MVP awards, and 12 All-NBA Team selections. When focusing on his impact throughout the 2010s, there is an argument to be made that he is one of the decade’s most dominant players.

There is a definitive answer to who was the NBA’s most dominant star of the 2010s, and it starts by recognizing the highs of each year. The field can start to be narrowed down to Most Valuable Player recipients from the period, which are Durant, LeBron James, Derrick Rose, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

In conjunction with MVP awards, championship success is the other measurement for dominance during an era. While Andre Iguodala was named one of the Golden State Warriors’ Finals MVPs, there was a common understanding that Curry had more of an impact holistically on the franchise. Also, while Kawhi Leonard won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors, he was not considered the best player in the league.

May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) greets Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) following game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Top Three

LeBron James is generally considered to be the most dominant player of the 2010s, immediately turning the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers into Eastern Conference juggernauts. James made eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances, winning three championships.

On top of his conference domination, James’ three MVP awards were the highest total of the decade. Although this trophy collection was built at the beginning of the decade, he continued to finish in the top five in MVP voting up until 2019.

After James, Stephen Curry is viewed as the top player from that generation of basketball. He was the face of the dynastic Warriors, who made five consecutive NBA Finals appearances and finished with a record-breaking 73-9 record in 2016.

Curry won back-to-back MVP awards in 2015 and 2016. While his peak established him as one of the greatest three-point shooters of all time, his ascension into a league superstar didn’t take place until the middle of the decade.

With James and Curry monopolizing the title picture, Durant has a strong case for being the third-best player of the 2010s. Unlike Curry, Durant finished in the top 10 in MVP voting for the majority of the decade. He won two consecutive NBA championships after signing with Golden State in 2016, being named the NBA Finals MVP in both series. 

Despite his success with the Warriors, not winning a championship outside of his partnership with Curry limits Durant’s impact on the decade. If the 16-time All-Star were to have secured a banner for the Oklahoma City Thunder during one of his deep playoff runs with the franchise, there would be a stronger case for a higher positioning.