-
Brian Windhorst
«CRANK THAT (SOULJA BOY)» was the top track on the Billboard charts. «Saw IV» held the title of the highest-grossing film. The inaugural iPhone had just launched.
And it was the first occasion that Kevin Durant and LeBron James faced off.
This was an unremarkable preseason clash in October 2007 where James scored 14 points and scarcely participated in the latter half, while rookie Durant came off the bench to net 15 points, including a crucial 3-pointer in the fourth quarter that secured a five-point victory for the Seattle SuperSonics.
«I don’t even recall it,» James remarked in 2023. «And I have a great memory.»
Durant and James are original gangsters, veterans, or however one wishes to label them. They have been a part of the NBA through three distinct decades and have aged together through various significant milestones.
They trained together in late summers in James’ hometown of Akron, Ohio, running up a notorious hill adjacent to James’ high school while astonished students watched from windows.
They competed in a flag football match against each other, broadcasting it for free online during the 2011 lockout (James’ team secured victory with his late pick-six).
They participated in one of the few unforgettable recent All-Star moments when, as team captains in 2022, they humorously sidestepped selecting James Harden in the aftermath of Harden requesting a trade away from Durant’s Brooklyn Nets.
Last summer in Paris, they were cornerstones of Team USA, clinching a second Olympic gold together a full dozen years after their first triumph in London.
Of course, they faced off in three NBA Finals, with James prevailing with the Miami Heat against Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012; and Durant triumphing with the Golden State Warriors against James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017 and 2018.
«We both believe we should have more rings,» James stated last summer during the Olympics, «but don’t because of each other.»
AFTER 18 SEASONS, 43 matchups against one another, 14 Finals encounters (plus one NBA Cup quarterfinal), James and Durant continue to discover ways to renew their rivalry. This season, it stands to be a prominent storyline in the league, as Durant faces off against James wearing his sixth different jersey, this time with the Houston Rockets, following yet another blockbuster move involving one of these two imminent first-ballot Hall of Famers.
Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis on the list) as he embarks on his first full season alongside Luka Doncic (Durant has not yet confronted the Lakers when both are in play).
«LeBron continually emphasizes keeping the main thing, the main thing,» Durant mentioned at the Olympics last summer.
«To still wake up and head to the gym at 6 a.m. eager to shoot 1,000 shots each day. To still retain that passion for the game despite all the distractions surrounding you. To handle the immense expectations from everyone placed upon you. To maintain that joy and love for the game as a priority is something I admire. That’s what drives me, that passion for the game. Seeing him as a teammate and observing his preparation puts a smile on my face.»
The Lakers and Rockets are anticipated to vie for playoff positioning throughout the season, with James and Durant remaining, even after all these years, as the leading figures. They will both play on opening night. They are set to compete again on Christmas Day, marking the fifth occasion they have been scheduled to clash on the NBA’s main marquee regular-season event.
«If you don’t feel that intense urge in your stomach or those butterflies when you’re competing against the best, then at that moment, you understand it’s over,» James remarked last season. «If you’re not motivated to play against KD or Steph [Curry] or some of the extraordinary talents in the league, then I’ve lost the essence of what the game signifies.»
However, there are two other distinct ways in which James and Durant find themselves side-by-side as they embark on the 2025-26 season, James’ 23rd year and Durant’s 19th.
Throughout their careers, they have consistently emerged as certified leaders of superteams, whether it was James in Cleveland or Miami, or Durant in Golden State, Brooklyn, and (at least an effort at one) in Phoenix. But now, for the first time, they are both looking up at the same superior team.
Following their championship victory in June and subsequently signing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren to maximum contract extensions in July, the Oklahoma City Thunder qualify.
Catch your favorite events in the newly upgraded ESPN App. Discover which plan suits you best. Sign Up Now
James (10) and Durant (four) share a total of 14 Finals appearances, but for either to increase that tally this season, they will likely have to not only overcome each other in the postseason but also work to dethrone the defending champions.
The Thunder are filled with youth and depth, tailored in many respects to undermine the era that James and Durant initiated with their high-profile free-agent decisions and blockbuster trades aimed at forming championship teams in a matter of days in July.
When Durant and James squared off for the first time in 2007, Gilgeous-Alexander was merely 9 years old. Williams was 6. Holmgren was 5.
«We’re at the stage where we have players who were kids when we first entered the league and we inspired them,» Durant reflected last year. «And now we’re competing against them.»
THE OTHER CONNECTION is that, for the first time, both James and Durant face genuine uncertainty regarding their futures after the 2025-26 season, partly due to the evolving landscape of team building forcing their teams to navigate around and beyond them.
James and the Lakers did not pursue a new contract this summer, and after James exercised his player option ensuring he would be a free agent in 2026, it signified the first time in his career he lacks a contract or option for the coming season.
The Lakers have, understandably, shifted focus from structuring their future around 40-year-old James to centering it on 26-year-old Doncic, who recently signed a highly publicized three-year extension.
When Durant presented the Suns with a list of preferred teams for a potential trade, which included the Rockets, it implied he would be open to extending his contract there as part of a trade.
However, no contract was finalized in conjunction with the June deal, and, much like James, he’s also set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Discussions have taken place between the Rockets and Durant regarding a new contract, with sources suggesting they will reach an agreement, though no consensus has been achieved yet.
Durant, similar to James, is no longer viewed as a central figure, as Houston builds around a youthful core of players obtained through the draft.
The Rockets regard Durant as a final piece, a veteran who can help them transition into true contender status, while also managing the needs of core players like Jabari Smith Jr. and Fred VanVleet, both of whom signed significant deals this summer, and Alperen Sengun, a 2025 All-Star who received a substantial contract in the summer of 2024. Additionally, there are Amen Thompson and Tari Eason to consider, two young talents positioned for contract renewals in the coming year.
Create or join a fantasy basketball league on ESPN. Your championship journey commences today!
Sign up today!
Ultimately, Durant may need to accept a contract below the maximum threshold, which he has held since 2011, if he aspires to remain in Houston.
Similar to James concluding his role as the face of his franchise, there is no intent to deliberately slight these former MVPs. Both teams are merely confronting the contemporary realities of roster construction for contending squads in the current era.
Nonetheless, before anyone cues the retrospectives, James earned a second team All-NBA selection last season, while Durant averaged 26.6 points and maintained a shooting percentage of 50% or higher for the 13th consecutive year.
James and Durant, assuming they can remain healthy, will once again possess substantial influence over the trajectory of this season. They are not slowing down, regardless of what their ages might suggest.
«I’ve had countless battles with KD over the years, and we don’t have many matchups left,» James remarked after a game against the Suns last winter. «You never want to take it for granted.»
