Gilbert Arenas Calls Kevin Durant Better Than Larry Bird, Says `80s NBA "Drugged Up"

Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas ranks Kevin Durant as the second-best small forward behind LeBron James and ahead of Larry Bird

Boston Celtics great Larry Bird had one of the greatest careers in NBA history. 

He's also one of the most scrutinized when it comes to the best of all-time debates. Some have him among the top but many say he doesn't belong as high on lists. 

The latest to downgrade Bird was retired player Gilbert Arenas. He spoke of it during a recent appearance on Shannon Sharpe's podcast. 

"Is Larry Bird in the top 10," Arenas asked. 

Sharpe: "Yep."

Arenas: "Then he's better than Larry Bird." 

Durant is No. 10 on the all-times scoring list while Bird is No. 39. Bird was a three-time MVP while winning three NBA championships. Durant won two titles while teaming with Stephen Curry on the Golden State Warriors but only has one MVP. 

Arenas said Bird benefitted from playing in a weaker era, even suggesting the league was littered with drug addicts. 

"The `80 was drugged up," Arenas said. "I can burn past a crackhead. A crackhead was not hard to get by. Half of those dudes were trying to hurry up and get to the next fix."

Arenas continued by saying only LeBron James is a more superior small forward than Durant. Still, he refused to diminish Bird's impact on the game. 

"I do value his greatness," Arenas said of Bird. " ... But KD is a whole another beast ... I got him as the second-best small forward ever."

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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of the Back In The Day NBA. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com