Larry Bird. Walt Frazier. Michael Jordan. Wilt Chamberlain Hakeem Olajuwon. Julius Erving.
These players have been immortalized through the game of basketball. As long as the NBA exists, these are some of the names that will for always be mentioned and remembered throughout its history.
I'll add another one.
Kevin Durant.
With the possibility of winning his first championship, Durant can do something these five immortals did not accomplish, win a championship at the age of 23.
Bird and Frazier won at the age of 24. Jordan was 27. Chamberlain was 30. Olajuwon was 32. Due to Erving's late start in the NBA, he was also 32 when he claimed his one and only championship in the league.
Want to add other greats to the list?
Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton and Patrick Ewing.
These guys never even won a championship.
If Durant were to capture the NBA trophy in his first attempt, barring injury and a sudden drop off in performance, he could easily go down as one of the greatest.
In a time where champions have come to define the greatest and, at times, can be a deciding factor in a player's election into the Hall of Fame, Durant can get this obstacle out of the way early.
The fact that Durant started his career at a young age is an advantage. He also has the luxury of playing for a team that is young and can compete in the playoffs for years to come.
Players like Magic Johnson and Bill Russell began their reign as champions early on in their careers. Both won championships in their rookie seasons.
Russell has captured an unprecedented 11 championships. His first came at the age of 22. Johnson got an earlier jump winning his first chip at the age of 20.
Serge Ibaka is only 22 and the other Russell, in the Oklahoma City Thunder, is also only 23, but this conversation involves only the elite.
Durant has Rookie of the Year honors, three consecutive scoring titles, was the 2012 NBA All-Star game MVP and for the third consecutive year was voted into the First All-NBA Team.
A championship can put in on another plateau.
The fact that he is only 23 and this good is pretty scary for the rest of the NBA.
In the Finals, Durant's only roadblock will be a championship starved LeBron James, who is also chasing greatness and immortality.
Though young and inexperienced in the finals, Durant's raw skills cannot be ignored.
With a championship, No. 35 can be in the Oklahoma City Thunder history books as the prime player responsible for bringing the city its first championship.
His quest for ultimate greatness begins Tuesday at 9 PM EDT.
