Kevin Durant
2007–08 to 2025–26 · 18 seasons · active
NBA player comparison
Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James: Career comparison
Regular-season verdict
LeBron James ranks higher in career impact so far
LeBron James
2003–04 to 2025–26 · 23 seasons · active
Impact comparison
Box impact estimates points per 100 possessions above each season's league average. Higher is better. Career ranks and average league finishes work the other way: lower is better.
#18Career Impact Rank to datePeak-weighted regular-season rank#4Leads
+9.2Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+12.5Leads
+8.8Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+11.4Leads
2.0Best 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better1.0Leads
0Seasons ranked No. 16Leads
+7,059 ptsPoints above replacementCumulative regular-season value+12,143 ptsLeads
Career Impact Rank places LeBron James #4 and Kevin Durant #18. It combines league finishes across each player's best three, five, and ten regular seasons, giving the most weight to the best three.
Regular season only. Impact figures are estimates; small gaps are not exact. Playoffs, awards and titles do not determine the verdict.
Career Impact RankSee exactly how both rankings are calculatedKevin Durant2.480 · No. 18LeBron James1.100 · No. 4
Only the three league-finish windows below determine Career Impact Rank. Career Value and peak impact are separate measures; neither adds points to this calculation. Lower composite scores rank higher.
Kevin Durant
2.480 composite · No. 18 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 22013–14Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 22015–16Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 22016–17Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 2.000 | 50% | 1.000 |
| Best 5No. 22013–14Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 22015–16Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 22016–17Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 32009–10Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 32012–13Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 2.400 | 30% | 0.720 |
| Best 10No. 22013–14Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 22015–16Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 22016–17Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 32009–10Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 32012–13Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 32014–15Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 42017–18Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 62011–12Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 62021–22No. 72020–21 | 3.800 | 20% | 0.760 |
1.000 + 0.720 + 0.760= 2.480
LeBron James
1.100 composite · No. 4 all-time
| Window and finishes used | Average finish | Weight | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best 3No. 12007–08Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12008–09Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12009–10Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 1.000 | 50% | 0.500 |
| Best 5No. 12007–08Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12008–09Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12009–10Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12010–11Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12011–12Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 1.000 | 30% | 0.300 |
| Best 10No. 12007–08Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12008–09Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12009–10Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12010–11Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12011–12Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 12012–13Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 22004–05Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 22005–06Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 22006–07Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimateNo. 32013–14Recorded box inputsIncludes bounded historical defense estimate | 1.500 | 20% | 0.300 |
0.500 + 0.300 + 0.300= 1.100
Averages, contributions, and totals are displayed to three decimal places. The ranking calculation keeps full source precision. Read the full method →
Full comparison · Career comparison
Understand the numbers
Start with impact, then compare playing time and skills. Team results add context. These are not categories to tally into a winner.
1 · Ranking evidence
Impact: who ranks higher, and why?
Career Impact Rank compares entire regular-season careers across NBA history. It combines average league places across the best three, five, and ten seasons, weighted 50%, 30%, and 20%. A lower rank or average place is better.
| Metric | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|
| Career Impact Rank to datePeak-weighted regular-season rank | #18 | #4Better result for this metric. |
| Best 3 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 2.0 | 1.0Better result for this metric. |
| Best 5 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 2.4 | 1.0Better result for this metric. |
| Best 10 average finishAverage league place · lower is better | 3.8 | 1.5Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Impact
| Metric | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|
| Points-above-replacement rankAll-time rank in estimated regular-season points above replacement | #9 | #1Better result for this metric. |
| Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +9.2 | +12.5Better result for this metric. |
| Best 3 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +9.1 | +11.9Better result for this metric. |
| Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +8.8 | +11.4Better result for this metric. |
| Best 10 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better | +8.0 | +10.1Better result for this metric. |
| Points above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better | +7,059 pts | +12,143 ptsBetter result for this metric. |
| Seasons ranked No. 1 | 0 | 6Better result for this metric. |
| Top-five impact seasons | 7 | 15Better result for this metric. |
| Top-ten impact seasons | 13 | 20Better result for this metric. |
2 · Playing time and responsibility
How much did each player take on?
Read games and minutes alongside impact. Offensive usage is the share of team plays a player ends with a shot, free throws, or a turnover while on court. More usage is not automatically better.
| Metric | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 1,201 | 1,622 |
| Minutes | 44,077 | 61,030 |
3 · Individual skills
Where does each player have an advantage?
These are each player's averages across up to ten best seasons. Career Impact Rank gives the Best 3, Best 5, and Best 10 average league finishes 50%, 30%, and 20% window weights, giving the most weight to the highest peak. The model accounts for position, role, pace, playing time, and team results. Green marks the better result for a metric, including lower turnover rates. Workload and shot-selection measures stay neutral. These rows are not votes toward the ranking.
Shooting
True shooting includes two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws.
| Metric | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|
| True shooting percentage | 62.2%Better result for this metric. | 59.0% |
| True shootingAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 64.2%Better result for this metric. | 59.6% |
Show more stats: Shooting
| Metric | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|
| Field-goal percentage | 50.3% | 50.7%Better result for this metric. |
| Three-point percentage | 39.2%Better result for this metric. | 34.8% |
| Free-throw percentage | 88.2%Better result for this metric. | 73.7% |
Passing
Assist rate is the share of teammates’ made shots assisted while the player is on court. Read turnovers alongside offensive workload; lower turnover rate is generally better.
| Metric | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|
| Assist rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 23.8% | 36.7%Better result for this metric. |
| Assists per game | 4.4 | 7.4Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Passing
| Metric | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 12.7% | 12.5%Better result for this metric. |
Rebounding
Rebound rate is the share of available rebounds collected while on court.
| Metric | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|
| Rebound rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 11.4% | 11.7%Better result for this metric. |
| Rebounds per game | 6.9 | 7.5Better result for this metric. |
Defense
Steals and blocks describe only part of defense. They do not capture every stop, rotation, or matchup.
| Metric | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|
| Steal rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 1.4% | 2.2%Better result for this metric. |
Show more stats: Defense
| Metric | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|
| Block rateAverage across the best impact seasons selected for the model input profile | 2.8%Better result for this metric. | 1.9% |
Scoring
Points per game describe scoring volume, not overall impact.
| Metric | Kevin Durant | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 27.1Better result for this metric. | 26.8 |
4 · Team context, not ranking inputs
What happened with and without them?
A verified with/without comparison is unavailable for this scope. We do not substitute another season’s observations.
Four separate questions
Impact, winning, playoffs, and awards
These are different ways to understand a career. Only Regular Season Impact determines the hussEyquation verdict. The other three sections add basketball context without adding points or changing the rank.
Career to date. At least one player is active. Every total below stops after the latest completed season in this data; nothing is projected.
Regular Season Impact
LeBron James ranks higher in career impact so far.
Kevin DurantMetricLeBron James
#18Career Impact Rank to datePeak-weighted regular-season rank#4Leads
+9.2Peak box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+12.5Leads
+8.8Best 5 average box impactEra-adjusted points per 100 possessions above league average · higher is better+11.4Leads
+7,059 ptsPoints above replacementRegular season · fixed -2.0 replacement baseline · higher is better+12,143 ptsLeads
This is the ranking result. It uses regular-season impact only. Team records, playoffs, and awards do not change it.
Team Success
LeBron James leads every available measure below.
Kevin DurantMetricLeBron James
915Listed-team regular-season wins1,141Leads
59.7%Listed-team winning percentage61.7%Leads
950-win team seasons14Leads
260-win team seasons3Leads
15Playoff team seasons19Leads
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Final records for every listed team-season. A traded season can include more than one team.
Playoff Résumé
LeBron James leads every available measure below.
Kevin DurantMetricLeBron James
14Playoff appearances19Leads
171Playoff games302Leads
111Team playoff wins188Leads
4Finals appearances10Leads
2Championships4Leads
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Team playoff results count only seasons when the player appeared in a playoff game.
Awards
LeBron James leads every available measure below.
Kevin DurantMetricLeBron James
16All-Star22Leads
1MVP4Leads
12All-NBA21Leads
0All-Defense6Leads
0DPOY0
1Rookie of the Year1
Context only. Not included in Career Impact Rank. Major regular-season honors are recognition, not inputs to the impact ranking.
How each context field is counted
- Listed-team regular-season wins
- The sum of each listed team's final wins in every season the player represented that team.
- Listed-team winning percentage
- Those team wins divided by those teams' total regular-season games.
- 50- and 60-win team seasons
- Listed team-seasons that finished with at least 50 or 60 wins. Shortened seasons are not projected to 82 games.
- Team seasons reaching playoffs
- Listed team-seasons in which that team qualified for the playoffs.
- Playoff appearances and games
- Postseasons and games in which the player appeared.
- Team playoff wins
- Team wins from those postseasons. They describe team results, not individual credit.
- Finals appearances and championships
- Seasons when the player appeared in the playoffs for the finalist or champion.
- Awards
- Recorded NBA selections and major regular-season honors. A zero means the source records none; Not available means the source field is missing.
Source and scope Basketball Reference, NBA seasons 1950–51 through 2025–26, accessed 2026-10-09. Active-career totals are results to date through the latest completed season in the source.
Career Shape Explorer
How the careers developed
Follow every regular season by NBA experience or age. This view describes the path; it does not create another verdict.
Kevin DurantLeBron JamesPeak seasonHistorical source qualification
Career to date. Active careers stop at the latest completed season; no future seasons are projected.
Estimated points per 100 possessions above that season's league average
Striped bars mark seasons with fewer than 40 games. A dashed mark means that player had no season at the aligned point.
Season-by-season evidenceRead both careers at the same stage
Every observed season keeps its age, era-centered impact estimate, league rank when qualified, career-stage label, and exact evidence link. A missing career point stays missing.
Kevin DurantNBA seasonLeBron James
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
Season 9
Season 10
Season 11
Season 12
Season 13
Season 14
Season 15
Season 16
Season 17
No season
Season 19No season
Season 20No season
Season 21No season
Season 22No season
Season 23Observed values come from the accepted season comparison record. Historical source qualifications stay attached to affected seasons. Missing means no NBA season exists at that aligned point; it is never interpolated. Missing is not the same as estimated.