Giannis Antetokounmpo Names the Toughest NBA Player to Defend

Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP and one-time Defensive Player of the Year, is an elite defender.

But as good as he is, even Antetokounmpo has trouble with an all-time great scorer like Kevin Durant.

Antetokounmpo recently posted a YouTube video chronicling his commercial shoot with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The two global superstars talked basketball in the video, and Johnson asked Antetokounmpo as classic NBA question: “Who’s the toughest player to guard?”

“Toughest player has got to be KD. Yeah, Kevin Durant,” Antetokounmpo replied. “Probably the best scorer of all time.”

“You’ve got to respect also LeBron [James], because he’s done it so many years,” he continued.

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Durant is a four-time NBA scoring champion, averaging more than 27 points per game throughout the entirety of his 18-year career. He averaged 32 points per game through his MVP season in 2013-14.

As a 37-year-old veteran for the Houston Rockets this past season, Durant averaged 26 points per game on 52% shooting from the field and 41.3% shooting from behind the 3-point arc.

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Durant and the Rockets suffered a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers, falling in six games. Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks miss the postseason for the first time in 10 years after notching a 32-50 regular-season record.

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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 12:46 PM.