Jeff Teague Criticizes Kevin Durant for Inability to Elevate Teammates
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant is one of the most talented players to ever pick up a basketball. Unfortunately, many people think he's been cursed by lacking some of the intangibles required to win at the highest level.
Former Atlanta Hawks All-Star point guard Jeff Teague has made a name for himself in retirement by becoming one of the most popular basketball podcasters in the world.
Recently, on an episode of his viral podcast Club 520, Teague took some shots at Durant for his lack of leadership skills, saying, 'You know how I feel about Kevin Durant, I think he's one of the best players ever, but I don't think he has the ability to take a questionable team and elevate them dudes to a certain level.'
This has been a major criticism of Durant for about a decade now, namely after he ditched the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors back in 2016.
The move took place after OKC blew a 3-1 series lead to the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, which many saw as an act of cowardice and betrayal, something a true leader would never do.
After winning two championships in Golden State, but being accused of being unnecessary for the team's success, he would team up with Kyrie Irving in 2019 and eventually James Harden on the Brooklyn Nets.
Aside from a promising run in the 2021 playoffs where Durant had his infamous toe-on-the-line shot against the Milwaukee Bucks, they fizzled out of the playoffs early and suffered a lot of inner turmoil, which lead to all three players being off the roster by the summer of 2023.
This period was seen as a massive blow to the former MVP's legacy as it was his chance to lead a team to the promised land for the first time.
He was traded to the Phoenix Suns at the 2023 trade deadline and to say the marriage was a disaster is an understatement. Phoenix was knocked out by the Denver Nuggets in a tough six-game second-round series, but a change of ownership completely overhauled the roster in the worst way.
The Suns went 'all in' and traded for Bradley Beal, which ended up being a fatal mistake. Beal's expensive contract and awkward fit ruined the chemistry of the team and they lost in the first round in 2024 before failing to even make the Play-In game this past season.
It is unfair to blame Durant completely for all of these failures, but as the best player on each of his teams besides the Warriors, he had an obligation to lead that he did not satisfy. Once universally beloved, Durant's stints with the Nets and Suns did irreparable damage to his legacy, save for winning a ring in Houston.
Durant is one of the greatest players in NBA history, but he may forever be viewed in a negative light by the masses due to the way he's handled the second half of his career.This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
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