Michael Jordan is commonly mentioned as one of the players who changed the NBA forever. His impact on the game, especially during his years with the Chicago Bulls, was enormous, but his influence extended far beyond the basketball court. Kevin Durant reflected on MJ’s lasting effect.
“Michael Jordan changed the culture of basketball on and off the court,” Durant said a while back, according to NBA insider Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson, who recently shared the quote on his official X account, formerly known as Twitter. “His legacy is much more than just what he’s done with championships.”
The Phoenix Suns superstar discussed some of the areas in which Jordan excelled during his NBA career. “It was huge. His popularity was huge. You know, the shoes, the commercials, all that stuff was huge,” he acknowledged. “But more than anything, how he played made me feel a certain way—like, you know, made me want to watch the game.”
Durant belongs to the generation that grew up watching Michael Jordan play but never had the chance to face him on the court. The six-time NBA champion retired for good in 2003 with the Washington Wizards, while KD had his rookie season with the Seattle SuperSonics in 2007-08.
Jordan’s business side of the NBA
In addition to discussing his admiration for Michael Jordan’s playing career and his impact on the court, Kevin Durant also highlighted how the Chicago Bulls icon fundamentally changed the business side of the NBA, particularly for players.
“It’s the pressure that Michael Jordan has put on basketball players from having such an incredible business over time. That’s the standard that he set for us a long time ago,” Durant said during a Nike event, according to Essentially Sports. “I’m trying to live up to it… I hope to be able to drive change like he did both on and off the court and follow in the footsteps he laid out.”
Durant follows in Jordan’s footsteps
Kevin Durant has openly acknowledged the profound influence Michael Jordan had on him, and it’s evident that he has sought to follow in Jordan’s footsteps both on and off the court. On the basketball court, Durant has earned numerous accolades, including two NBA championships, one league MVP award, two Finals MVP awards, and 15 All-Star selections.
Financially, Durant has also built a strong legacy as an NBA icon. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Phoenix Suns star has earned $399,155,146 in his 17-season career, in addition to the $51.2 million contract for the current season and $54.7 million for the next year. Furthermore, like Jordan, KD signed a commercial deal with Nike in 2023 reportedly worth a fortune, solidifying his impact off the court as well.