Kevin Durant

[dossier]

Re: Kevin Durant

So here's somethin that will help me better understand:

Can he be a top 50 player?

[ehh]

Re: Kevin Durant

Not that this really matters, but just for the sake of discussion, I've NEVER seen him go up and dunk over someone or made a play above the rim where I've said 'WOW'. Someone youtube one or something on here.

When T-Mac first came into the league, he would routinely play above the rim. My point was that Durant plays really similar to Mac, but without the jaw dropping athleticism. Durant however is an exceptional athlete for his size.

He had a couple, but there isn't much flash in his game. They're just regular one-handed dunks. Most of the time he was so quick he'd blow by the first defender and the other defender didn't even jump because they didn't want to get posterized or couldn't rotate quick enough.

Personally I don't like the T-Mac comparisons all that much. I don't care for the Dirk ones either, I think Durant is much quicker, has a better first step and goes to the hole better than Dirk.

So here's somethin that will help me better understand:

Can he be a top 50 player?

No one can answer that bro - he hasn't even played a game yet.

[ehh]

Re: Kevin Durant

http://videos.utexasclan.com/view.php?id=1071

Give the highlight a chance to play, there are some amazing things he does further into the clip. He throws down a dunk at 3:59 vs. LSU that is quite impressive!

Jesus, that video really makes me miss college basketball!

[Flyboy]

Re: Kevin Durant

"I don't care for the Dirk ones either, I think Durant is much quicker, has a better first step and goes to the hole better than Dirk."

Hence why I said with more athleticism.

[ehh]

Re: Kevin Durant

"I don't care for the Dirk ones either, I think Durant is much quicker, has a better first step and goes to the hole better than Dirk."

Hence why I said with more athleticism.

I wasn't referring directly to your post.

[dieselboy]

Re: Kevin Durant

GOAT.

Hopefully.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Kevin Durant

I would say that, if you want to learn about Durant, this is required viewing:

http://videos.utexasclan.com/view.php?id=1071

Give the highlight a chance to play, there are some amazing things he does further into the clip. He throws down a dunk at 3:59 vs. LSU that is quite impressive!

He's a hard one to peg, because we haven't seen a kid his size do the things he can do. Remember, this was a true FROSH doing these things. You don't win the Naismith and be the consensus POY in the NCAA if you aren't the real thing. You should hear what Bobby Knight had to say about him after he lit up Tech for 37 and 23 boards.

Wow that was a great montage for someone who hasn't seen much of KD.

The reason it's so hard to make a comparison is because of his height and skill set. There's nobody in the league that has what KD has. I still see the T-Mac in him but KD is a cross between a handful of players.

[Cebby]

Re: Kevin Durant

So here's somethin that will help me better understand:

Can he be a top 50 player?

In the league, yes. Of all time, who the hell knows.

[Sedihawk2K5]

Re: Kevin Durant

Wow that was a great montage for someone who hasn't seen much of KD.

The reason it's so hard to make a comparison is because of his height and skill set. There's nobody in the league that has what KD has. I still see the T-Mac in him but KD is a cross between a handful of players.

He is a freak, and it is hard because people want to find a comp in the NBA but they just can't. I see him and I think of a slightly smaller, yet quicker, a better shooter and just a more polished version of Kevin Garnett.

And you aren't kidding about that montage. I hadn't see a lot of him up in the Seattle area, just the same highlights that everyone else sees on ESPN, but my GOD, some of those plays are just amazing.

The other thing that he has that some don't? At least all the scouts and such said it this year leading up to the draft, but he's an ASSASSIN on the court. He wants the ball, wants to take the big shot, he's got that burning edge to be a great one. Look at his body language in some of those highlights. He doesn't strike me as a guy that's going to hide in a tie game with 2 minutes to go! Give him the ball and get the hell out of the way. I can't wait to see what he looks like after 3 or 4 years of NBA experience, I mean the things he's doing at 18 are pretty incredible.

[jayo]

Re: Kevin Durant

I had the pleasure of seeing KD play a lot in Austin, when I lived there. I've met the guy several times as well. He's an awesome guy, very friendly, and an even better ball player.

IMO he has a much higher upside than Oden, and seriously is an MVP caliber player. It's hard to say what he'll be like in the NBA, I think a "more athletic Dirk" is a fairly accurate description. I would almost say he's like a LeBron that doesn't drive. He has a great vision, and sees the game very well. He can pass, and rebound and shoot. I definitely think he's Top 50 material, both in the league, and if he doesn't have any major injuries, all time. He has a ton of talent and was so much fun to watch in person. I couldn't begin to tell you how many times the crowd would just kind of be there, and then KD would beat somebodies shot, or make a sick pass to somebody, or even occasionally slam home a dunk and the FEC would ERUPT. He is quite the talent, and has a very bright future. I'm just sad the Sonics are leaving and I'll have to suffer through only watching him for one season...again. ):

[Pointguard]

Re: Kevin Durant

Joe Johnson- I think Durant has better handles and can get to the rim and finish better than Johnson. But they sort of have similar styles as well.

You have got to be kidding me? This is ridiculous. Kevin Durant's handles arent even on par with Josh Howard, who most Mavs fans think he needs to improve, much less Joe Johnson, a guy that can definately play the PG for his team because his handles are that good.




Kevi Durant's game is getting way overrated. The guy is an incredible shooter from anywhere on the court. He has already shown in college he can shoot the NBA 3 and the guy can shoot it as a set shot, pulling up off the dribble, turning around from the post, off balence, ect.

BECAUSE OF THAT, people play him close enough that he can use his quickness and handles to get around the defenders. However, in that, I mean PFs. He is going to sturggle against SFs. The guy is going to succeed as a PF, a la Dirk Nowitzki. Durant has slightly better handles than Dirk and is a better athelte and slasher, but thats the style of play Durant plays. He should be a good rebounder once he adds some lbs and a solid shot blocker, though nothing special. The reason he is in the NBA, like Dirk, is basically because of how well rounded his offensive game is and how hard it will be to stop, assuming he is a PF.


Edit: and all the comparison to Kobe/Tmac are just as bad as to KG. Durant doesnt have nearly the passing or ball-hanlding that these guys possess. Both these guys are tremendous playmakers because of it. Durant will be a playmaker for himself, and again like Dirk, will have to slower learn how to get other involved. Durant is not a SG.

[dossier]

Re: Kevin Durant

From Ray Allen game's I've seen he isn't so great at ball handling either and he still gets to the rack. Plus, the pump fake works miracles for sharp shooters.

And during the USA game he was being guarded by SF and still got 22 pts. So I don't understand how that makes sense.

[Pointguard]

Re: Kevin Durant

Ray Allen has much better handles than Durant. Its not even close.

Who was guarding him in the USA game?

[Flyboy]

Re: Kevin Durant

Yeah, Durant's handles just aren't that good... at all.

[Moses Shuttlesworth]

Re: Kevin Durant

Yeah, Durant's handles just aren't that good... at all.

I think they good enough, for a dude his size.