Kevin Durant, one of the most prominent figures in the NBA, has stirred up a fresh wave of debate by Kevin Durant snubs Steph Curry from his ‘perfect’ starting five in NBA 2K25. Instead, Durant has chosen Luka Doncic, a five-time All-Star, as the point guard to run the floor in his ideal lineup. The revelation came during Durant’s appearance on the Boardroom’s podcast, where he was discussing his preferences while playing NBA 2K25.
Durant’s lineup features Klay Thompson, his former teammate from the Golden State Warriors, at shooting guard. LeBron James, Durant’s long-time rival, occupies the power forward spot, while Joel Embiid, the 2023 MVP, anchors the team at center. Durant, unsurprisingly, positioned himself as the small forward, a spot he’s mastered throughout his illustrious career. But it was Durant’s decision to snub Steph Curry in favor of Luka Doncic that set social media on fire.
“I’ll probably go Luka at the point,” Durant explained. “Luka, me, Bron, Embiid at my five, ’cause Embiid shooting 3s better than Jok [Jokic] in the game … Then you gotta go with somebody like Klay at 6’7″ shooting that thing like that.”
Kevin Durant’s current ‘perfect’ starting 5:PG — Luka Doncic
SG — Klay Thompson
SF — Kevin Durant
PF — LeBron James
C — Joel Embiid(via @boardroom)
pic.twitter.com/q7ix3iONDV— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) September 13, 2024
This declaration sparked conversations around the NBA world, especially as Durant’s decision to leave out Steph Curry, arguably the best shooter in basketball history, raised eyebrows. Kevin Durant snubbing Steph Curry feels shocking, especially given Curry’s pivotal role in reshaping the game with his deep three-point shooting and unique ball-handling abilities. Many believe Curry is the obvious choice for a perfect lineup due to his unparalleled skill set, particularly when spacing and offense are prioritized in a video game context.
However, Durant emphasized the importance of size, length, and spacing, particularly when crafting a lineup for NBA 2K25. By choosing Doncic over Curry, Durant focused on the former’s versatility and size. Doncic, standing at 6’7″, has a clear height advantage over Curry, who is listed at 6’2″. From a game-based perspective, Doncic’s overall 97 rating in NBA 2K25 surpasses Curry’s 95. In addition, Doncic boasts 24 badges in the game, three more than Curry, and has 15 gold badges compared to Curry’s nine. Kevin Durant snub Steph Curry seems to be a decision rooted in size and ratings, not personal bias.
Durant’s decision didn’t solely hinge on personal feelings, but rather on the game’s structure and ratings. In a video game where every inch and every rating point can make a significant difference, Luka’s height and extra badges may indeed give him the edge over Curry, at least in Durant’s eyes.
Kevin Durant’s choices for his starting five may seem controversial to those who favor Curry’s game, but his perspective highlights a different way of viewing talent and strategy. It also speaks to how Durant sees basketball from a tactical lens, favoring height, shooting versatility, and spacing, all essential elements in both the modern NBA and video games like NBA 2K. This approach further explains why Kevin Durant snubs Steph Curry might make more sense in a virtual arena, even though it may not sit well with fans in the real world.
On top of this, Durant’s decision brings into question how different players and fans view the balance between skills like shooting versus physical attributes such as size and length. With Doncic, Durant believes his lineup gains versatility, considering Luka’s playmaking abilities combined with his physical advantages, which can create mismatches on the court, real or virtual.
This isn’t the first time Durant has made waves when discussing NBA 2K. His own rating in NBA 2K25 dropped from 96 to 94 this year, something the Phoenix Suns star wasn’t pleased about. “I’m a 94, that’s crazy bro,” Durant said on the podcast with NFL star Sauce Gardner. “Sick of that s**t.”
what y’all think? @NBA2K pic.twitter.com/8VHsLKTZEb— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) September 12, 2024
Durant has consistently held a rating of 96 since 2021, so this year’s dip to 94 came as a surprise. In fact, Durant had never seen a rating lower than 96 for three years, solidifying him as one of the most consistently rated players in the game. Despite the dip, he remains in the top 10 players in the game, ranking ninth overall. However, he now sits behind the likes of Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Jayson Tatum, with Anthony Davis tying Durant at 94.
It’s clear that Durant takes these ratings seriously, and while they might not directly affect his on-court performance, they certainly reflect how he is perceived in the digital world of NBA 2K. Injuries and age have likely contributed to the decline in his rating, but Durant’s passion for maintaining his spot as one of the game’s elite remains strong.
In the ever-evolving world of basketball video games and real-life strategy, Durant’s choices highlight the complexity and personal biases that come into play when assembling a team. Whether one agrees or disagrees with his selection, Durant snub Steph Curry and include Doncic offers an intriguing look at how today’s players view the sport from multiple perspectives.
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