"insane"

Whether you agree or not, it's not insane. You watch the Olympic team play, basically a team full of All-Stars, and quickly realize Durant is head and shoulders better than all of them. That says a lot, not that he needed to prove anything else.

I personally think he's better than Kobe, but team wins and narratives play such a huge role in how people look at legacy. Kobe was drafted onto a team with the best player in the NBA and that helped him pad his career with a few very early rings. You put KD on those teams and they win all the same stuff. The later rings with Pau are where Kobe makes a real case for all-timer status, and they're stronger rings than Durant's. That can't really be denied.

In terms of who is actually the better individual player though, no doubt to me that Durant is more of a unicorn. The length, handle, and shot combo are just too dirty. Unstoppable iso player. The argument for Kobe would be defense. I don't know if it's enough. Maybe.

I think it's close, but KD is more unique to me.