Throughout NBA history, there have been names that let us know immediately who the conversation is about. Magic, Kobe, LeBron, and Kareem are all unique and big enough names for us to know that fans have engaged in a conversation about Johnson, Bryant, James, and Abdul-Jabbar. Then, there are the first names that are shared among some of the greatest players to ever step on the court. Obviously, Michael is an exception in all of this because as common of a name as it is, usually, Michael means we are talking about the GOAT, Michael Jordan.
The name today that we are going to dissect is Kevin. Now, right off the top of your head, I am willing to bet you have four or five great Kevins that come to mind. However, there are many NBA players with the name Kevin who, although not Hall of Famers, contributed to winning basketball and are essential to the story of the NBA. Not every Kevin on this list is a superstar or even an All-Star, but they all played a role that garnered some attention at one point in their careers.
These are the greatest Kevins in NBA history.
Honorable MentionKevin Huerter
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Obviously, it is far too early to include Kevin Huerter on any top 10 list, considering he is just five seasons into his career. Huerter got his start with the Atlanta Hawks after they selected him with the 19th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He would spend the first four seasons of his career with the Hawks, where he averaged 11.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 3.2 APG on 43.1% shooting and 37.9% shooting from three.
In 2021, Huerter helped the Hawks reach the Eastern Conference Finals with 11.1 PPG in 18 appearances with 10 starts. In July 2022, Huerter would be traded to the Kings, where he would have the best season of his career in 2023. He averaged a career-high 15.2 PPG for Sacramento this season and shot a career-high 40.2% from the field. Can he finish out his career as a lock for the top 10 Kevins in NBA history?
10. Kevin Loughery
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Kevin Loughery was a 6’3’’ point guard out of Brooklyn, New York, who would go on to have a long and successful NBA career. Loughery was drafted 92nd overall in the 1961 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks and once again at 13th overall in 1962 by the Detroit Pistons. Loughery would play only a season and a half with Detroit before being dealt to the Baltimore Bullets for Larry Staverman.
With the Bullets, Loughery thrived on the court as he averaged 16.6 PPG and 4.0 APG over the next seven seasons. His best years with Baltimore came in 1969 and 1970. In 1969, Loughery averaged 22.6 PPG and 4.8 APG on 43.8% shooting from the floor. He would average 21.9 PPG in 1970, shooting 44.1% from the field this time as Baltimore won 50 games. The Bullets would go to the playoffs five times with Loughery running the offense, but it never ended in an NBA championship.
9. Kevin Porter
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The next player on our greatest list of Kevins is not to be confused with the current point guard for the Houston Rockets and is certainly not to be mistaken for his father, either. Kevin Porter was the 39th overall pick of the Baltimore Bullets in the 1972 NBA Draft, where he would spend the first three seasons of his career. In his third and final season with the team, Porter would take home the first of four career assists titles averaging 8.0 APG along with 11.6 PPG.
Porter would win his second assists title in 1978 with the Nets and Pistons averaging 10.2 APG, and another the following season in Detroit with 13.4 APG. Porter’s final assists title would come in 1981 with the Bullets when he averaged 9.1 APG. In all four of the seasons in which he won an assists title, Porter played at least 81 games to earn it. Porter would play in just one NBA Finals in his career, the 1975 Finals, where the Golden State Warriors swept Porter’s Bullets in four games.
8. Kevin Duckworth
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Kevin Duckworth was a 7’0’’ center who had a pretty good 11-year career in the NBA. Duckworth was drafted 33rd overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 1986 but would play only 14 games for them during his rookie season. After 14 games, Duckworth would be traded to Portland in exchange for Walter Berry. The deal was a gift in disguise for Duckworth, who would thrive in his new situation.
In his first season with the Trail Blazers, Duckworth would be named the NBA’s Most Improved Player averaging 15.8 PPG and 6.6 RPG in 78 games played. In 1989, Duckworth earned his first All-Star selection by averaging 18.1 PPG and 8.0 RPG on the season. During this time, it is also important to note that Duckworth helped Portland reach two NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992 as well. In 1991, Duckworth would earn his second and final All-Star appearance averaging 15.8 PPG and 6.6 RPG.
7. Kevin Martin
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During his 12 seasons in the NBA, Kevin Martin was truly one of the league’s most gifted scorers. He had underrated explosiveness and athleticism, which allowed him to attack the basket fearlessly, knowing he was going to get to the free throw line where he was efficient in shooting the ball. Martin was selected 26th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, where he would spend the first five and a half seasons of his career.
Martin would have his best stretch with the Kings from 2007 thru 2010. During these four seasons, Martin would have four consecutive 20.0 PPG seasons averaging 22.1 PPG over this time. He would shoot 44.6% from the field overall and 38.6% from three on this stretch and, surprisingly, was never selected as an All-Star. After Sacramento, Martin would have a few good seasons with the Rockets and Timberwolves as well, including 2011 with the Rockets when he averaged a career-high 23.5 PPG. Martin is yet another Kevin on this list who went his entire career without becoming an NBA champion, but lest we forget, he was one of the great forgotten and underrated players of the 2000s.
6. Kevin Willis
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It is probably safe to say that some of you reading this right now have no idea who Kevin Willis is. That is perfectly fine, considering there are 90s basketball fans that have forgotten all about him as well. Willis was a member of the famous 1984 NBA Draft that saw guys like Michael Jordan and John Stockton find their NBA homes as well. Willis was selected 11th overall by the Atlanta Hawks but would eventually end up becoming one of the best players in the entire draft class.
Willis had the best seasons of his career with the Hawks from 1985 thru 1995. In his first four seasons, Willis was a decent two-way forward for Atlanta averaging 12.3 PPG and 8.2 RPG. He would miss the entire 1989 season with a knee injury but came back with a vengeance. In 1992, Willis would earn the only All-Star and All-NBA Team selection of his career, averaging 18.3 PPG and 15.5 RPG in 81 games played. Willis would have a long 21-year career that would finally see him become an NBA champion at age 40 with the Spurs in 2003.
5. Kevin Johnson
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In my personal opinion, Kevin Johnson is the most underrated point guard in the history of basketball. The speed at which he played the game, combined with his scoring acumen, playmaking, and athleticism, were the perfect combination for him to excel in the NBA at the time. Johnson was drafted seventh overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1987 but would play just 52 games with them in his rookie season before being traded to Phoenix.
For Johnson, the Suns were the perfect situation for him to land in. Johnson was a 10.0 APG player or better in his first four seasons with the team. He averaged 21.2 PPG, 11.1 APG, and 1.6 SPG over this time and had already helped the Suns advance to the Western Conference Finals. In 1993, the team would advance to the NBA Finals led by Johnson and MVP Charles Barkley. Johnson would finish his career in Phoenix, where he became a five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA Team selection, and the 1989 Most Improved Player.
4. Kevin Love
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Kevin Love’s journey through his career in the NBA has been an interesting one, to say the least. Love was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the fifth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Love was a monster for his first six seasons with Minnesota. He averaged a double-double in five of his first six seasons while also taking home a rebounding title in 2011. In total, Love averaged 19.2 PPG and 9.2 RPG in his career with Minnesota while being named an All-Star three times.
In 2014, Love was traded to the Cavaliers in order to build a Big 3 with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to compete with the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors. Even as a third option in Cleveland, Love was fantastic and helped the Cavaliers pull off one of the greatest playoff upsets ever in 2016 when they defeated the 73-9 Warriors in the NBA Finals. In his career, Love has earned five All-Star selections and two All-NBA Team selections, as well as a Most Improved Player award in 2011.
3. Kevin McHale
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Kevin McHale is still one of the most beloved NBA legends in history, even after 30 years away from the game as a player. McHale was as smooth as anyone at the time in the low post with a seemingly never-ending array of post moves and finishes at the basket. McHale was brought to Boston in one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history that also happened to land Boston Robert Parish at the same time.
For the first five seasons of his career in Boston, McHale became one of the best bench players in basketball, averaging 15.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 1.9 BPG. He won back-to-back Sixth Man of the Year awards in 1984 and 1985 while helping the Celtics capture two NBA championships in 1981 and 1984. When he became the full-time starter in 1986, the Celtics would win an NBA championship once again, while McHale went on to make six straight All-Star appearances. In total, McHale was a three-time NBA champion, seven-time All-Star, six-time All-Defensive Team selection, and a one-time All-NBA Team selection.
2. Kevin Garnett
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Rarely throughout NBA history have we seen a player quite like Kevin Garnett. No one in the NBA brought the intensity and heart that Garnett brought every single night that he stepped out on the court. Being drafted straight out of high school in 1995, it didn’t take long for Garnett to get acclimated to the NBA. By his second season, he was already an All-Star and one of the best two-way players in the game. With the Timberwolves in his early career, Garnett peaked from 2004 thru 2007. He would win the 2004 MVP and, for once, was the best player in the world at the time. He would also capture four straight rebounding titles and help the Timberwolves advance to the Western Conference Finals.
In 2008, Garnett would be traded to Boston to team up with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. The trio would make some special things happen during their first season together. Garnett would be named the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year averaging over 1.0 SPG and 1.0 BPG. The Celtics would advance to the NBA Finals, where they took down Kobe Bryant’s Lakers in six games. Garnett would finally become an NBA champion, something he had deserved well before he finally got there in 2008. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest power forwards to ever play the game and was a rightful member of the NBA’s 75th-anniversary team in 2022.
1. Kevin Durant
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Our selection for the greatest Kevin in NBA history should come as no surprise to anyone. Kevin Durant is simply one of the greatest offensive players we have ever seen and one of the most efficient. Durant came into the NBA as a young man coming off a historical season at the University of Texas. After being selected second overall to the SuperSonics, Portland immediately knew that they had selected one of college basketball’s biggest busts while Durant became a legend.
First, with the Thunder from 2008 thru 2016, Durant became a four-time scoring champion and an MVP in 2014. Durant’s abilities were clear as he dominated all three levels of scoring with ease. With the Warriors from 2017 thru 2019, Durant would become a two-time NBA champion while claiming both Finals MVP awards as icing on the cake. Many fans would call Durant’s career since leaving Golden State a failure. However, he just had one of the most efficient seasons in NBA history, shooting with 55/40/90 splits from the field for the Nets and Suns in 2023. He also has the Suns two wins away from a spot in the Western Conference Finals, where he hasn’t been since 2019. If you wish to argue for Garnett over Durant or do not think he is number one, I would love to hear from you as to why.
