“Some people say, ‘I want to go play baseball,’ and then they come back”- Kevin Durant on how hard it is to sustain playing at the highest level originally appeared on Basketball Network.
During his recent appearance on the “Mind the Game” podcast, Kevin Durant, the newest Houston Rockets superstar, talked about the emotional and mental demands of becoming a great basketball player and the difficulty of staying at that elite level throughout his career.
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According to Durant, each time a player signs a new contract to extend his career, he must also make a pact with himself to recommit his dedication to the game. This often becomes very difficult, especially when he’s already reached the top and accomplished his goals repeatedly.
“I truly feel that you got to reconnect and sign that contract with yourself every so often, like, all right, yeah, I’m 10, 12 years in. I got four MVPs, four championships. But do I still want to do this s**t? You know what I’m saying? Some people say, ‘I want to go play baseball,’ and then they come back. Other people say, ‘I’m going to go 22 straight.’ You know what I’m saying? So it’s a contract I feel that you got to have with yourself too, in order for you to be a great ball player and to have a long career,” stated the two-time Champion.
Comparing the journeys of MJ and Bron
We don’t need rocket science to understand that Durant was comparing the paths of Michael Jordan and LeBron Jamesto greatness. That’s because Jordan shocked the basketball world in 1993 when he retired at the age of 29 to go play baseball.
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At that time, Mike had played nine NBA seasons and was coming off winning three straight NBA titles with three Finals MVP awards. MJ would end his retirement in 1995, saying his time away from the game fueled his desire to return and win more championships. He would lead the Chicago Bulls to three more championships from 1996 to 1998, bringing his total to six rings.
Meanwhile, LeBron has been playing in the NBA since 2003 and has been relentlessly delivering greatness year after year. He is coming off an unbelievable 22nd NBA season where he still made the All-NBA second team at the age of 40. James recently opted in to the $52.6 million player option of his contract and will be returning for an unprecedented 23rd straight year in the league.
KD wants to play 20 years in the NBA
On the other hand, KD was the No.2 overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft. He’s now 36 and has been around the block for 18 years. Durant has played 17 seasons, missing the entire 2019-20 campaign with an Achilles injury. He won the NBA MVP award in 2014 and has two championships and two Finals MVP trophies under his belt. He hinted to LeBron and Steve Nash that he has three more years left in his NBA career.
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“That’s the goal, to be in the league for 20 years. I tell… that’s the goal. Have you want to get there, but you have to recommit to yourself before you commit to anything else,” added Durant.
In the history of the NBA, only 11 players have played at least 20 years in the league. LeBron is on top of that list with 22, going 23. His critics have always used his longevity against his case as the greatest ever. But as Durant explained, sustaining greatness for that long is a tough act to follow.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.