Kevin Durant drops 5-word reaction to viral Michael Jordan clip picking him over Kobe Bryant and LeBron James

Kevin Durant rarely misses when it comes to basketball—and apparently, not when it comes to legacy debates either. The Phoenix Suns superstar recently came across a resurfaced Michael Jordan clip that’s catching fire again on social media.

In the video, Jordan jokingly mentions Durant while weighing in on the infamous Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James question. Now, more than a decade later, Durant’s sharp but playful response has reignited the conversation, with fans and media alike taking notice.

“Goat was on to something”: Kevin Durant’s bold reaction to resurfaced Michael Jordan clip

It all started when a throwback clip from 2013 began circulating across social platforms this week. In it, NBA legend Michael Jordan is asked one of basketball’s most heated questions: Kobe or LeBron? Sitting down with analyst Ahmad Rashad for the “Michael Jordan at 50” special, Jordan seemed momentarily caught off guard before throwing out an unexpected name: “Kevin Durant.”

Though Jordan immediately laughed and clarified that he was joking—“Naw, I’m just kidding,” he said—the clip has lived on in NBA lore as a light-hearted but fascinating moment. And this week, it got new life when Durant himself saw the post and added fuel to the fire.“Goat was on to something,” Durant wrote in the comments section, flipping the joke into a subtle flex that left fans buzzing.

Kevin Durant, who turns 37 this year and will enter his 18th NBA season, is widely recognized as one of the most skilled scorers in league history.

The two-time NBA champion and two-time Finals MVP has averaged 27.2 points per game across his career while maintaining an elite shooting clip of over 50%. With that kind of resume, even a joke from Jordan feels like a nod worth keeping in the vault.The moment drew even more attention thanks to another clip included in the video—this one featuring a resurfaced quote from Kobe Bryant that added weight to the conversation.

“Kevin Durant. That was the one I retired without being able to figure out how I can stop him,” Bryant once admitted. That rare praise from one all-time great to another only added gravity to Durant’s reaction.

Resurfaced video reveals Michael Jordan’s true pick for the best player

The viral interview dates back to early 2013, when Michael Jordan was reflecting on his legacy ahead of his 50th birthday. The special, titled “Michael Jordan at 50,” gave the six-time NBA champion a chance to weigh in on the league’s future—and the players most often compared to him.When asked “Kobe or LeBron?” by Rashad, Jordan initially responded with a smirk and said “Kevin Durant” before laughing it off. Then, he gave a more measured answer.“In terms of dominance of the game of basketball, at this stage it’s LeBron,” Jordan acknowledged at the time, crediting James for his physical impact on the game during his Miami Heat prime.

But Jordan wasn’t done. He added a clear preference for Bryant’s mentality and hunger.“Championship-wise, it’s Kobe Bryant. He wants it so bad and he’s willing to go to the extreme,” Jordan said. “Guarding a point guard at the age of 34, playing 38 minutes, 40 minutes, that’s ludicrous.”Jordan even suggested that Bryant shared his obsessive drive for greatness: “He’s cursed as much as I am.”When it came to championships—a standard Jordan always held in the highest regard—he summed it up plainly: “Five (rings) beats one.”More than a decade later, the Kobe vs. LeBron debate remains heated—but the narrative has evolved. LeBron James, who joined the Lakers in 2018, now holds four championship rings and recently became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, the first player ever to surpass 50,000 career points. His longevity and all-around excellence have kept him in the GOAT conversation.Bryant, who tragically passed away in 2020, remains a symbol of competitive spirit.

He finished his career with five rings and a 5–2 record in the Finals, while Jordan, famously, went 6–0.Also Read: LeBron James or Kobe Bryant? Dwight Howard’s shocking pick in the legendary NBA debate between his two former teammatesWhat began as a quick-witted joke from Jordan in a 2013 interview has taken on new life in 2025, especially now that Durant has joined the chat. With Kobe openly praising Durant’s unguardable game, and Jordan once (even jokingly) tossing his name into the GOAT conversation, Durant’s legacy is secure.