Kevin Durant thinks he, LeBron James and Stephen Curry could play into their 40s

Now that he has become a player others measure their talent against, Durant stands firmly rooted in the present so that he remains relevant. “Those older guys didn’t want to just say, ‘Here, young’un, you the next one up.’ You had to try to take that from them,” Durant says. “I’m not going out there and relying on my name and what I’ve done in the past to get that respect. I respect that about the young players. They don’t give a s— about what you did in the past. It’s about today. So that keeps me on point.” -via Washington Post / February 18, 2024

Had he been at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, he would have surely been asked about Wembanyama just like Antetokounmpo, the Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant and others were. “Man, that dude can achieve anything he wants in this game,” Durant said of Wembanyama. “He’s only getting more comfortable as time goes on. … It’s just insane how dominant he’s going to be as he gets more comfortable in the game. “Luckily, I’m on my way out, so I won’t have to deal with it too much. You just see him settling in game after game after game, and it’s going to be a joy to watch.” -via San Antonio Express-News / February 17, 2024

Nick DePaula: Kevin Durant laced up the new “Year of the Dragon” KD 4 Retro at All Star practice pic.twitter.com/22vH4Y2tB1 -via Twitter @NickDePaula / February 17, 2024

James explains that “the game gods” will reward players based on their levels of commitment. And he offers some advice: “Learn the history of the game. Respect the ones that came before you, even when they do disrespect you. It’s okay. It’s absolutely okay. Know who paved the way. Pour it all into the game — if you want to be great and if you want to be someone that will never be forgotten in this league. The cars and the jewelry and all the other dumb s— that don’t matter means absolutely nothing. Worry about the game. Worry about your family, and then worry about the game some more. And be selfish, too. It’s okay to be selfish because you have to be a little bit selfish to be able to be great. Some people have to fall to the wayside at times.” -via Washington Post / February 18, 2024

James is the oldest player in the league — at 39, he is older than three NBA head coaches — and holds the unusual distinction of having competed against 35 percent of the players in league history. He has battled legends of different eras, outlasting not only his contemporaries but several stars who came a generation or two later. James doesn’t have a clock in his head for how long he plans to play but also won’t limit himself with a number because, as he says, “I already exceeded it.” “The league’s given me so much,” James says. “I just try to set an example for the next generation. I never got into, like, ‘Oh, I’m the face of the NBA.’ I never, ever even said that. I’ve always just understood it as a responsibility with being a professional. And I’ve always wanted to be that and always have done that.” -via Washington Post / February 18, 2024

The LeBron James Era is nearing an end. The Age of Victor Wembanyama is about to take hold. That was the message, in so many words, some of the NBA’s biggest stars delivered time and again Saturday at media day for the 2024 All-Star Game. “As long as Victor is healthy, the league is his,” the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo said of the Spurs rookie star. “LeBron is kind of like that,” Antetokounmpo added. “He’s close to the end of his career. … But we have to deal with this problem now moving forward.” -via San Antonio Express-News / February 17, 2024

NBA: STEPHEN vs. SABRINA WAS A MOVIE. Sabrina Ionescu opened on fire and dropped 26… before Stephen Curry came through in the clutch to win it with 29! Enjoy. 🍿 -via Twitter / February 18, 2024

The NBA 3-point line is 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket. The WNBA stripe is 22 feet, 1.75 inches away. Ionescu said she chose to compete from the farther distance “to just continue to push boundaries and equal the playing field.” Ionescu used the slightly smaller WNBA ball instead of the NBA one Curry used. Aside from the championship belt that Curry took home — which featured two goats affixed on gold panels on either side of the centerpiece — both Curry and Ionescu received $25,000 donations to their respective charities. -via ESPN / February 18, 2024

“I saw the first rack … and I was having flashbacks to watching her this [past] summer,” Curry said afterward. “It added a lot of pressure, for sure, and I just wanted to get off to a good start, settle in and thankfully I made enough to get over the top. “But that was perfect. Great entertainment, great shooting — both sides — and an awesome 70 seconds for both of us.” Immediately after the competition, Ionescu, 26, was angling for a rematch with Curry, 35. “Obviously Steph won for a reason, and I’m going to have to try to beat him next time,” Ionescu said. -via ESPN / February 18, 2024