January 8, 2008— Seattle Supersonics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 19-year-old rookie Kevin Durant takes the court vs. 23-year-old LeBron James for the first time. Durant scored 24 points (10-of-20 shooting), while LeBron scored 22 points (8-of-18 shooting), in a 95-79 Cavaliers win. 
Durant and LeBron became friends, even before their first ever NBA matchup vs. one another; soon after Durant was drafted 2nd overall in 2007, he practiced alongside James during the summer with Team USA, while preparing for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Las Vegas. “He’s been like a big brother to me,” the 19-year-old Durant said at the time. “I’m very fortunate to have a relationship with probably the best player in the world, and I’m going to take advantage of it.” LeBron was eager to be a mentor, since he knew what it was like to have the pressure and responsibility of leading an NBA team as a teenager. “I was in the same position Kevin was coming into the league and trying to be the face of a franchise,” LeBron said. “He’s having his difficulties in his first year just like I had my difficulties.”
Durant went on to win Rookie of the Year during the 2007-2008 season, just as LeBron did during the 2003-2004 season. As time went on, both players became two of the best players in the league over the past couple decades. In 2012, Durant became the second-youngest NBA player ever to reach 10,000 career points, and went on to also be the second-youngest to reach 20,000. Durant only trailed his rival in these milestones, as LeBron is the youngest player to ever reach 10k, 20k, and 30k points. One can’t help but look at the comparisons between the two gifted athletes, and remain in awe of what they have accomplished over the course of their illustrious careers. To note, LeBron has four championships, four MVPs, and one scoring title, compared to Durant, who has two championships, one MVP, and four scoring titles.
Throughout their respective careers, both players have matched up 21 times in the regular season, with James averaging 28 points (51.4% FG), 7.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game vs. Durant. Then on the other side, Durant has averaged 28.5 points (48.2% FG), 6.7 rebounds, and 4 assists in each of the contests vs. James. Notably, LeBron has a 15-6 record advantage vs. Durant in the regular season, yet Durant has the edge in the playoffs with a 9-5 record. With this in mind, the two players have faced off in the NBA Finals three different times; in 2012, LeBron’s Heat defeated Durant’s Thunder in 5 games, while Durant’s Warriors were victorious over LeBron’s Cavs in 2017 and 2018. During their three championship head-to-head matchups, LeBron averaged 31.9 points (52.2% FG), 10.4 rebounds, and 9.1 assists, while Durant averaged 31.7 points (54.5%), 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists.
Durant and LeBron have a long track record competing against one another, on and off the court. Some might remember how KD and LBJ were team captains for the 2022 NBA All-Star game in Cleveland, when Team LeBron orchestrated a fourth-quarter comeback to win 163-160 vs. Team Durant. However, the less well-known clash between the two superstars came during the 2011 NBA lockout, when they met in a flag football game in Akron, Ohio, as James set up the “LeBron’s Flag Football Classic,” in which the two rivals participated in a 7-on-7 game vs. each other. While playing in front of 100 people, James and Durant put on a show, that of which was captured by some of ESPN’s cameras at a closed event in the University of Akron’s indoor athletic field (giving LeBron home field advantage).
This game featured LeBron and his friends/former high school teammates wearing uniforms inspired by the St. Vincent-St. Mary color pattern, versus Durant and his squad who were draped in, KD’s alma mater, University of Texas’ colors. Durant had an impressive performance as he returned a 104-yard interception for a touchdown, in addition to having arguably the play of the game, when he “Mossed” James in the end zone, catching the pass from his brother, Tony Durant. Then to mention, LeBron had a long receiving touchdown of his own and was a 6-foot-8 ball hawk at safety, returning 2 interceptions for a touchdown in the game, as he was seen doing his best Deion Sanders’ impression of high-stepping into the endzone en route to both of his pick 6’s. Even with Durant leading a late game comeback, LeBron saved the game with a last second interception (his 4th of the game) as Team LeBron won 70-63, and the kid from Akron ultimately proved why he was a 2x all-state high school football player.
Despite their long-running rivalry, it has been almost five years since the two superstars have clashed with one another on the basketball court, as due to injury, either Durant or LeBron has been missing in action for the past 13 matchups. The last time the two competed vs. each other was on Christmas day 2018, in which the Golden State Warriors blew out the Lakers 127-101. Now as Durant, 35, enters into his 17th season in the NBA, as a member of the Suns, he is set to take on LeBron, 38, the oldest active NBA player, in a game that will be broadcasted on TNT, Thursday October 26. “It’s been a long time… it’s been a long time, looking forward to hooping against arguably the best ever,” Durant said when asked about his marquee matchup vs. LeBron. “It’s always a fun challenge and can’t wait to see him.”
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