Steve Kerr: Kevin Durant 'More Gifted' Basketball Player Than Michael Jordan

Let the debates begin.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, a former teammate of Michael Jordan, said Tuesday he believes Kevin Durant is the most gifted basketball player of all time.

"He just showed he's the most talented basketball player on earth, if not of all time," he told NBC Bay Area's Raj Mathai. "Honestly. He's just so gifted. I loved coaching him, and I'm looking forward to doing so again."

Even more gifted than Jordan?

"I think he's more gifted, I really do," Kerr said. "That's saying something, but Kevin is a different ... entirely different breed. He's 6'11" with guard skills, unlimited 3-point range, passing, shot-blocking—his shot-blocking at the rim, it's just stunning. Watching him this year was really, really gratifying to see."

OK, OK, before the internet pulls out the proverbial torches and begins marching on Kerr for daring to besmirch Jordan—and you know LeBron James fans are incensed that the Los Angeles Lakers superstar didn't even get a mention—it's probably important to note that he said Durant was the most "talented" player of all time, not necessarily the "best" player in NBA history.

There is, after all, a difference. Has there every been a player in history that combines Durant's size, three-level scoring, finesse, touch and athleticism? His shot is unblockable. He's a 38.4 percent three-point shooter for his career. In a league with a history of walking buckets, he's the walking bucket.

Did Jordan win more titles? Of course. Is he the most clutch player of all time? Hard to argue otherwise. He was one of the most exciting players to watch in NBA history, a high-flying cultural phenomenon. He was also an elite on-ball defender.

But when you talk about pure basketball skill, it's hard to argue that anyone has ever had more than Durant. He's as pure a scorer as the league has ever seen.

Kerr may also be extending an olive branch to Durant with these comments ahead of the two being paired again with Team USA at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics (Kerr is an assistant coach). Kerr remarked in March that he enjoyed coaching the 15-50 Dubs in the 2019-20 season more than he enjoyed coaching the Warriors in 2018-19, which happened to be Durant's last season in the Bay Area.

When Durant saw a tweet referencing the comments, he found them "humorous":

Kerr would go on to angrily say that the tweet took his comments out of context. But given that Kerr and Durant reportedly weren't on the best terms during their time together in Golden State, Kerr's comments in March seemed to fan the proverbial flames, which Kerr might be trying to dampen ahead of Tokyo.