When you talk about this generation’s greatest players, the first names that come to mind are LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. The trio that shaped this era, represented Team USA, and won gold together.
But on the other side, there are players who once lived in that same space but don’t always get mentioned the same way now. Kawhi Leonard is one of them. At one point, Leonard was in MVP talks and viewed as one of the top players in the league.
His resume is still stacked. Two championships, two Finals MVPs, and a Defensive Player of the Year is no joke. The past few years just haven’t done him justice with injuries and the Los Angeles Clippers not making enough noise. But at his peak, he was going toe-to-toe with the likes of Kevin Durant and LeBron James.
And with Kawhi fading more into the background while players like KD continue to get the spotlight, Jeff Teague believes the comparison shouldn’t be dismissed. In his view, you can’t just walk up to Kawhi Leonard and say Kevin Durant is better.
“You really can’t. But you can’t tell me Steph Curry is better than me. That doesn’t make it true. I think when Kawhi Leonard is at his peak and fully healthy, he’s on the same level as KD. Now granted, KD has won MVPs and Finals MVPs, so there’s definitely a level there — but it’s not crazy to say Kawhi Leonard is right there. I mean, he’s one of the best players to ever play basketball.”
Jeff Teague talking about how people In the media that say you can’t tell Kawhi Leonard that KD is better then him
“You really can’t. But sh*t you can’t tell me Steph Curry better than me. That don’t mean it’s true motherfu*ker I think when Kawhi Leonard is at his peak and he’s… pic.twitter.com/VLtlVmGuhJ
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 16, 2026
