How Tall Is Kevin Durant?

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Kevin Durant's Real Height Explained

Kevin Durant stands at 6'9.5" (207 cm) barefoot, according to his CelebHeights profile{rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"}. However, KD's true height has been one of the most discussed measurements in NBA history — because Durant himself spent years deliberately lying about it.

The NBA's official barefoot measurement from 2019 clocked him at 6'9.25" without shoes. In basketball sneakers, he measures around 6'10.5" to 6'11". But many observers, including teammates and opponents who have stood beside him, believe even these figures undersell Durant's true stature and that he may be closer to 6'11" or even 7'0" in shoes.

At any measurement, Durant towers over the average American man by a full foot or more. His height, combined with his remarkably long wingspan (reportedly 7'5") and lean 240-pound frame, gives him one of the most unique physical profiles in basketball history — a player with the height of a center but the skill set of a guard.

The Height Debate: What Does Kevin Durant Really Measure?

Kevin Durant's height controversy is among the most fascinating in professional sports, primarily because he was the one doing the deceiving — and he did it entirely on purpose.

For years, Durant was officially listed at 6'9" by the NBA. This was not a measurement error or rounding issue. It was a deliberate choice by Durant to appear shorter than he actually was. The reason? He didn't want to play center.

Durant openly admitted this in a widely reported interview, saying: "I really measured 6'10 and three-quarters with no shoes... since I love basketball so much I just list myself at 6'9'." In the NBA's positional hierarchy, height often dictates your role. Players at 6'10" and above have historically been slotted as power forwards or centers — positions that spend their time battling in the paint, setting screens, and playing with their backs to the basket. Durant's game was built on perimeter shooting, ball handling, and scoring from the mid-range — a small forward's skill set trapped in a center's body.

By listing himself at 6'9", Durant created enough ambiguity to be classified as a small forward, which is where his game thrived. It was a strategic deception, and it worked brilliantly. He became one of the most unguardable players in NBA history specifically because defenders had to treat him as a wing player while he had the size advantage of a big man.

When the NBA mandated official barefoot measurements in 2019, the jig was up — sort of. Durant measured 6'9.25" barefoot, which in shoes translates to approximately 6'10.5". Even this figure strikes many observers as conservative. According to a Wall Street Journal investigation{rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"} into NBA height measurements, Durant's true playing height may be closer to 6'11".

The bottom line: Kevin Durant is somewhere between 6'9.5" and 6'11" depending on how you measure. What's undeniable is that he's one of the tallest small forwards in NBA history — and that's exactly the position he wanted to play.

Kevin Durant's Height Compared to Other Celebrities

Table: Kevin Durant vs Fellow NBA Stars

→ See Kevin Durant vs LeBron James side by side → See Kevin Durant vs Stephen Curry side by side

Notable Height Differences

Durant's most visually interesting comparisons come when he stands next to players he has been rivals with for over a decade. Next to LeBron James (6'7.75"), Durant appears to have a slight but clear height advantage — approximately two inches — though LeBron is significantly more muscular at 250 lbs compared to Durant's 240 on a much taller frame.

Perhaps the most dramatic visual contrast is Durant standing alongside his former Golden State Warriors teammate Stephen Curry (6'2"). The 7.5-inch difference is immediately obvious, and yet these two formed one of the most devastating duos in NBA history. Together, they won two consecutive NBA championships in 2017 and 2018.

At 6'9.5", Durant also dwarfs most non-basketball celebrities. He would tower over Dwayne Johnson (6'2.5") by seven inches, and the contrast with Kevin Hart (5'2.5") would be a staggering 19 inches — over a foot and a half of height difference.

How Tall Is Kevin Durant Compared to You?

At 6'9.5", Kevin Durant is taller than approximately 99.9% of American men. Unless you're an unusually tall individual, standing next to KD would mean craning your neck upward significantly. His height, combined with his impossibly long arms and lean build, makes him look even taller than his measurements suggest.

Our free height comparison tool lets you enter your own height and see exactly how you'd look standing next to the Slim Reaper. You can even share your result on social media.

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Kevin Durant: Height in Context

Kevin Durant's nickname, "The Slim Reaper," perfectly captures his physical paradox. He has the height and wingspan of a traditional NBA center but carries it on a lean, almost wiry frame that allows him to move like a perimeter player. At 240 lbs, he's significantly lighter than most players his height — Shaquille O'Neal, who stands just three inches taller, played at 325 lbs and weighed up to 370 during his career.

This unique body type has made Durant essentially unguardable. When a 6'5" wing defender is assigned to him, Durant simply shoots over the top. When a taller, slower big man switches onto him, Durant blows past them with guard-like handles. There may never have been a player in NBA history whose height was more perfectly suited to their game — and the irony is that Durant spent years trying to hide just how tall he actually was.

Born in Washington, D.C., Durant grew up in the D.C. metropolitan area and attended the University of Texas for one season before entering the 2007 NBA Draft. He was selected second overall by the Seattle SuperSonics (who later relocated to become the Oklahoma City Thunder). During his time in Oklahoma City, he teamed with Russell Westbrook and reached the NBA Finals in 2012. He later won back-to-back championships with the Golden State Warriors alongside Stephen Curry before stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns.

Throughout his career, Durant has earned two NBA championships, two Finals MVP awards, an MVP award, and thirteen All-Star selections. He's widely regarded as one of the greatest scorers in basketball history — a distinction made possible, in part, by the very height he once tried to downplay.

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Quick Facts About Kevin Durant

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Related Celebrity Heights

• LeBron James Height: 6'7.75"
• Stephen Curry Height: 6'2"
• Michael Jordan Height: 6'4.75"
• Shaquille O'Neal Height: 7'0.5"
• Yao Ming Height: 7'5"
• Luka Dončić Height: 6'6.5"