Kevin Durant Reveals Unreleased Collaboration With LeBron James

Kevin Durant and LeBron James are considered two of the top basketball players of the 2010s. In addition to both winning multiple NBA championships, the two stars were consistent top-five MVP candidates throughout the decade.

Though fans may expect a fierce rivalry between the two top talents of a generation, the pair have shared a mutual respect over the years. In an interview with Boardroom, Durant discussed recording rap songs with James during the early part of the 2010s.

“We had like three songs, I think... I went to Akron, like, 2011, to work out with [LeBron James] for like four or five days... Rich Paul was trying to recruit me when he first started Clutch. I like Rich, so we hung out a lot… He would just meet me on the road, and we would just hop in the studio because he knew I like to rap and Rich loved to rap. So we was just rapping, and I think we convinced Bron to rap that one day.”

One of the collaborations, “It Ain’t Easy,” was made available to the public in 2018. Producer Frankie Wahoo released the song with a different instrumental from the original recording.

Where Are They Now?

While James and Durant are both in the later stages of their NBA careers, the two remain All-Star-caliber talents for playoff hopeful teams. Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists over 78 games, while James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists over 60 games last season.

With two-time All-Star Alperen Sengun and Defensive Player of the Year contender Amen Thompson continuing to elevate their profiles within the league, Durant’s Houston Rockets could achieve another 50-plus-win season in 2027. Although Houston was eliminated in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the team’s series against the Los Angeles Lakers had numerous key players sidelined with injury.

Earlier this summer, James announced his decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. Joining a core of Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe, there are high expectations for the four-time MVP to bring a championship to Philadelphia.

The Rockets and 76ers are scheduled to face off on November 28 and December 23, adding another layer to the Durant versus James rivalry. With the 76ers entering next season as a standout contender in the Eastern Conference and the Rockets’ core continuing to reach new milestones, the matchup should be noteworthy for both organizations.