Former Thunder star Kevin Durant ranked No. 13 in NBA history

As we enter the sizzling summer months, we're approaching the point in the calendar year when the NBA takes a couple of months off. That allows for plenty of time to be perspective and reflect on what's happened in the past.

The Bleacher Report NBA staff took advantage of the downtime. They ranked the top 100 NBA players of all time. The extensive project had an all-hands-on-deck approach. They conjured up the votes and released a naturally controversial ranking.

While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's exclusion might be one of the biggest snubs, there were other players who represented the Oklahoma City Thunder among the 100 players. One was Kevin Durant. He came in at No. 13 in the rankings.

Durant played the first nine of his 18 seasons on the Thunder. That's where he established himself as one of the greatest scorers ever. He won the 2013-14 MVP award and was a perennial All-Star and All-NBA member. He was the co-star alongside Russell Westbrook in the Thunder's first championship window.

"Durant’s itinerant career and failure to lead a team to a championship as a true alpha hurts his legacy — as does sharing an era with James, Curry and Jokic," Bleacher Report wrote. "It’s possible that KD could have taken the Thunder to the promised land if he’d stayed put, and he probably left another championship or two on the table by departing Golden State when he did."

As most know, Durant isn't on the best of terms with Thunder fans. His 2016 departure to the Golden State Warriors shocked the entire NBA world. He went on to win back-to-back rings, but his public opinion still tanked. To the point he left the dynasty for more individual success. He hasn't had that yet.

"Durant has a case as the greatest pure scorer in league history. Listed at 6’11”, KD operates with a smooth perimeter game that most guards would envy," Bleacher Report wrote. "Capable of killing opponents from deep and at the rim but uniquely gifted as a mid-range shooter."

Since leaving the Thunder, Durant has played for the Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns in nine seasons. The 36-year-old was traded to the Houston Rockets this offseason and hopes to get back into serious contention for the first time in years.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Former Thunder star Kevin Durant ranked No. 13 in NBA history