Kevin Durant

[PrettyT11]

Re: Kevin Durant

I would refrain from calling Vince Carter elite, even in his heyday. Dude can jump...doesn't make him elite. You can score 30ppg and not be elite if you skip practice, fake injuries and don't play defense.

Not to mention he's one of the most overrated players in NBA history. To miss the first half of the season and then be voted into the all-star game as a starter is beyond me. Then again, this was before I realized the all-star game was just a popularity contest.

He didn't say he was an elite player player. He said he was an elite scorer. There is no way you can say he wasn't an elite level scorer. He is top 20 all time in PPG and top 10 in playoffs PPG. That in itself says all that needs to be said.

[AlexBrady]

Re: Kevin Durant

I would refrain from calling Vince Carter elite, even in his heyday. Dude can jump...doesn't make him elite. You can score 30ppg and not be elite if you skip practice, fake injuries and don't play defense.

Not to mention he's one of the most overrated players in NBA history. To miss the first half of the season and then be voted into the all-star game as a starter is beyond me. Then again, this was before I realized the all-star game was just a popularity contest.

In his heyday Carter was probably the most athletic and creative scorer in the league with unlimited range. Not to mention he could make shots most players could only dream of making. His god given talents were absolutely on par with Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. I've always said this about Vince, he is good enough to fill up the stat sheet but not good enough to inspire teammates or make them better. He simply isn't tough enough to perform against the good teams in the playoffs. You would think most people would realize this after all the bricks, airballs, and 4th quarter turnovers in playoff competition.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Kevin Durant

Try and get the real KD thread on track.

The scoring, people expect, but the rebounding is what I'm keeping an eye on. There are certain tendencies that KD has as a player, that haven't shown up right away because he still is catching up physically.

Year One-scoring, but not efficient
Year Two-efficiency
Year Three-Rebounding
Year Four-Assists or shot blocking? Kevin has long arms and good timing, but one muscled shoulder to his chest and defenders can create space. When he gets strong enough to maintain position, I think his shot blocking will improve. Don't know if he'll ever be an above average on ball defender, but he can use his length to recover on pick and rolls and bother pull up jumpers.

The assists are tricky. I think it depends as much on his teammates as it does him. He has to know where they are going to be, but as a group, the Thunder are still finding their game, not to mention the roster changes in the past three years. Once he has some offensive stability, we'll see if he can get up around five meaningful assists. He has the willingness and draws the attention, but he still needs timing and the smarts to maximize his potential as a passer.

The ludicrous assumptions about Kevin was first that he was a volume scorer, then that he's only a scorer. I see how it's tempting to scout him that way, because of the numbers and his excelling shooting stroke, but his game has never been only about scoring. It's just that his frame puts him at a serious handicap. I think he's still catching up to his natural game. I don't think he'll really start growing "new" aspects to his game until after year five.

[GSW]

Re: Kevin Durant

The Blazers really f'd up didnt they.

[JBH3]

Re: Kevin Durant

Excellent post Born.

[slimm44]

Re: Kevin Durant

Excellent post Born.

Ditto. Good breakdown of his game.

[phenom1990]

Re: Kevin Durant

http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/johnson/2010/03/08/durant-is-an-offensive-machine/

I thought this was a very good breakdown on Durant. I absolutely love watching him when OKC is on.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Kevin Durant

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant's offseason itinerary has taken the NBA's youngest scoring champion to New York, L.A., Chicago and the Great Wall of China, and it will lead him elsewhere with the U.S. national basketball team.

All the while, he's settling into a new home in Oklahoma City -- perhaps long term.

"So far, my summer's been great," Durant said Wednesday at the opening of his youth basketball camp.

Soon, it could also bring a financial windfall.

“
The moment you're drafted, kids look up to you and want to be in your position. But I'm a regular guy. That's what I try to tell people is that you can come up and talk to me and I'll talk back to you. I'm a cool person. I just happen to play basketball.
”
-- Kevin Durant
Durant and the Thunder can begin negotiations on a long-term contract extension late Wednesday. It's be his first chance to cash in big-time on his budding NBA stardom, which has brought him the Rookie of the Year award, a selection to last year's All-Star game and finally the scoring title at age 21.

Just hours before the negotiations could start, Durant had no interest in airing his demands publicly.

"We'll see," Durant said. "We'll talk about that tomorrow if it happens."

Durant has previously said he wants to stay put, but would it take a maximum contract to make it happen?

"I'm just worried about these campers outside," Durant said. "That's all I'm worried about right now."

Durant said he expected to be watching TV or using his iPad when the negotiation period opens, and he's "not really" expecting a knock on his door when the clock strikes midnight out east.

He preferred to talk about anything but his contract situation. After all, he was trying to pass along a message to the campers that the keys to success are having a passion and love for the game while knowing the fundamentals.

"I'm still a kid myself," Durant said.

About 460 boys and girls were signed up for the three-day camp for kids ages 7-18, with another 60 on a waiting list, and Durant provided a treat right off the bat. With kids in the morning session seated in rows, Durant stood at halfcourt with his back to the basket and banked in an over-the-shoulder shot.

"That's been in my repertoire for a while. I'm practicing it for my H-O-R-S-E championship next year again," said Durant, who has taken home the first two H-O-R-S-E titles at the NBA's All-Star weekend.

Durant said he embraces the opportunity to be a role model for children at the camp and elsewhere.

"The moment you're drafted, kids look up to you and want to be in your position," Durant said. "But I'm a regular guy. That's what I try to tell people is that you can come up and talk to me and I'll talk back to you. I'm a cool person. I just happen to play basketball.

"But at the same time, I know kids are looking up to me. I know I have to do the right thing for them to look up to."

Durant's offseason started earlier than he had hoped, after the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated the Thunder on Pau Gasol's tip-in with a half-second left in a 95-94 victory in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series. Oklahoma City, which had won just 23 games a season earlier, finished with 50 wins while making the playoffs for the first time since Durant was drafted in 2007.

Still, watching the rest of the playoffs was hard on him -- especially as the Lakers kept winning.

"It made it worse, of course, because we had the chance to beat those guys," Durant said. "But they're the champions, so you've got to respect what they did and how they got there. But it was tough to watch. As a competitor, I couldn't watch it anymore. A lot of people were talking about that I was upset, but that's just who I am.

"I'm just trying to work even harder and harder to get back to the playoffs first of all and try to go far."

Durant said there have only been about 10 days over the past two months when he hasn't played basketball, even as he has shuttled from coast to coast and beyond. He's spent time back home near the nation's capital, visited teammates in Los Angeles and held camps in Chicago and in China -- where he visited the Great Wall and Forbidden City and saw pandas for the first time.

Later this summer, he'll join the U.S. team for camp in Las Vegas before playing in the world championships in Turkey.

"I can't stay away from the game that long. It could be tough on my body but I just can't stay away from it," Durant said.


Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

How do you not love this kid?

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: Kevin Durant

And like I've said all along, he's only 22. SMH

[Scott812313]

Re: Kevin Durant

In 2 years KD will be recognized as the best player in the league. He is an absolutely unique, once in a lifetime player. His size, handle and shooting ability as well as his skill in drawing fouls will make him the most deadly offensive player we have ever seen. I guess Bill Simmons and I were the only 2 people on earth who saw this before the 07 draft though. I got into countless arguments with friends about the Oden/Durant debate, and everyone I talked to said that you can't pass up a franchise big man. Think Portland wouldn't like a mulligan now? To sum it all up, first ballot hall of famer, top 3 career scoring average and probably all the total scoring records when he is done. Top 5 player ever when his career ends.

[Nike Fattz]

Re: Kevin Durant

In 2 years KD will be recognized as the best player in the league. He is an absolutely unique, once in a lifetime player. His size, handle and shooting ability as well as his skill in drawing fouls will make him the most deadly offensive player we have ever seen. I guess Bill Simmons and I were the only 2 people on earth who saw this before the 07 draft though. I got into countless arguments with friends about the Oden/Durant debate, and everyone I talked to said that you can't pass up a franchise big man. Think Portland wouldn't like a mulligan now? To sum it all up, first ballot hall of famer, top 3 career scoring average and probably all the total scoring records when he is done. Top 5 player ever when his career ends.

As much as I love Durant, something tells me that title will always belong to Michael Jordan.

[Rocky]

Re: Kevin Durant

In 2 years KD will be recognized as the best player in the league. He is an absolutely unique, once in a lifetime player. His size, handle and shooting ability as well as his skill in drawing fouls will make him the most deadly offensive player we have ever seen. I guess Bill Simmons and I were the only 2 people on earth who saw this before the 07 draft though. I got into countless arguments with friends about the Oden/Durant debate, and everyone I talked to said that you can't pass up a franchise big man. Think Portland wouldn't like a mulligan now? To sum it all up, first ballot hall of famer, top 3 career scoring average and probably all the total scoring records when he is done. Top 5 player ever when his career ends.

I love Durant but these kind of demands and expectations are ridiculous.

Saying he will be better than Magic, Bird, Dr. J? Come on now. Way too early for that. His career will be great if it mimics George Gervin/Alex English (except for a championship).

[Jesus]

Re: Kevin Durant

his shot making ability is great, but the fact that he cant handle the ball really makes me stop short of putting him in the upper tier of the league.

[Nike Fattz]

Re: Kevin Durant

his shot making ability is great, but the fact that he cant handle the ball really makes me stop short of putting him in the upper tier of the league.

Please explain?

[youvalss]

Re: Kevin Durant

Physically, KD looks like the next best player in the league. But he gotta have that mentality needed for it. I don't think he has that mentality...yet.