The Equalizer Part 3: The Dominating Kevin Durant

Don’t call him Slim Reaper. Despite Kevin Durant‘s reluctance to embrace any nickname other than a simple “KD” the OKC sharpshooter headlines the final entrant in a three-part series where we’ll give you the NBA players who best represent an “Equalizer,” a person who levels the playing field so everyone gets a fair shake. There aren’t many players capable of navigating the various obstacles blocking the bath to equanimity in the most dire of on-court situations, but our three Equalizers certainly fit the bill — both on and off the court.  

[PREVIOUSLY: The Equalizer Part 1: LeBron James in Command]

The reigning regular-season MVP sometimes looks like his 6-10 frame is prancing down the court during a ballet recital. That’s how smooth he moves. That same nonchalance deceives defenders into believing he’s not moving that fast, or they forget he’s an assassin anywhere on the court. His length and athleticism is elite not just on the offensive side of the ball, either. His long arms — he sports a 7-5 wingspan with knuckles that almost drag on the court — can reach into passing lanes that looked wide open a second earlier.

Whenever Oklahoma City is down, the team doesn’t panic. Durant can go off so casually, it’s almost like he’s biding his time on the court sometimes, ready to pounce if they need a bucket, a momentum-changing block, or the perfect pocket pass. There aren’t any NBA players with his combination of size and skill. He’s got range out to 30 feet, and his shooting stroke is so natural, the ball rolls out of his fingertips like most of us take a breath. He is the great equalizer, a force so unique as to be impossible to replicate and just as impossible to overcome.

[PREVIOUSLY: The Equalizer Part 2: Cutthroat Kobe Bryant]

Tell us who you would choose as an NBA Equalizer using #TheEqualizer. We can’t think of any better than the three contemporary stars we’ve already chosen.

Who is your NBA Equalizer?

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