Frightening Durant Observation

[SabasRevenge!]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-29-88/Sherman-Alexie--Watching-Kevin-Durant.html

Sherman Alexie e-mails Henry Abbott:

As I've watched the Sonics fall apart these last 15 games or so, I've seen that Kevin Durant's game has also fallen apart.

He kept reminding me of another player -- something about his poor shot selection, his purposeful avoidance of passing the ball to the other scorers on the team (Wally Z and, er, Wally Z), his pathological inability to rotate on defense, and his absolute reluctance to initiate any body contact were all naggingly familiar -- and then a friend of mine called during a recent game and said, "Durant is playing like Glenn Robinson."

More chilling words about a promising basketball player have never been uttered.

I went over to the Sonics board to see if it had been posted and what sort of response it was getting, but it was like a morgue in there...

Is this season hurting KD more than it's helping?

[Spykes]

I'd suggest no one post this over there. Let the Sonic fans find it for themselves. If a Blazer fan posts it over there, they might look at it as someone trying to troll their forums.

Personally, I don't buy it. Not at this stage of his career. Durant has been put in a pretty tough position. If he goes into next season and he doesn't show any sort of growth and the Sonics are still as terrible as ever, then there might be something too this.

[SabasRevenge!]

I'd suggest no one post this over there. Let the Sonic fans find it for themselves. If a Blazer fan posts it over there, they might look at it as someone trying to troll their forums.

I'm 100% with you on that one.

[Billy]

Durant is doing just about what everyone expected at this point which is score the ball. But I think most people figured that he'd shoot at a lower percentage this season due to his size. Another factor that wasn't factored in much leading up to the draft was Durant having to do it all alone.

When everything started he was either heading to a team boasting the rookie of the year, and another promising guy in Aldridge; or he was heading to a team that had one of the elite wings in the league in Ray Allen and another big athletic wing in Lewis. No one really figured that Seattle would move Ray Allen for a pick nor did they assume that Seattle wouldn't really try to retain Lewis.

Although I haven't watched many Sonic games, I can only assume that Durant is seeing defense's designed to stop just him. I think most teams are willing to live with Wilcox, Ridnour, Wally Z or whoever else beating them. So I think right now more than anything we are seeing a team that is being stopped because their rookie is their best option.

I'm sure Durant will pull it together. He's a hell of a talent.

[zzaj]

^^^It's true Billy, stopping Durant pretty much equals a W for opposing teams. No doubt if he had a better supporting cast he would be getting better shots and the whole game would open up for him more.

Right now he basically has no safety nets as a player. That is a tough situation for any rookie.


p.s. It would be interesting to see him in a place like Toronto right now.

[Fitz303]

IMO the sonics did that worst thing they could have done for that kid. They blew up the team and gave him the reigns as a rookie.. They put the ball in his hands and said go out there and start chucking the ball up there. He has hardly any structure at all. Ive watched a couple games and its like he floats around until he gets the ball and then just either shoots it or drives into anything. He looks disinterested on defense most of the time, like hes just waiting for them to get the ball back so he can get it in his hands again to try and score. Its not always this way, but a lot of the time it is. It's very early, but I dont think that organization is putting him in that great of a situation to succeed in the future

[listerine]

Was that email from Sherman Alexie the author? He's got some decent books out there. Mostly focusing on Native Americans, but it's more of the drunken reservation kind than the spiritual western kind. Good stuff.

[Charcoal Filtered]

For Kevin Durant's career to turn out like Glenn Robinson's is the KD haters best scenario. Anyone remember Kobe early in his career? Not saying that Durant's ceiling is that high, but Robinson is a very low blow.

[Spykes]

For Kevin Durant's career to turn out like Glenn Robinson's is the KD haters best scenario. Anyone remember Kobe and MJ early in their careers? Not saying that Durant's ceiling is that high, but Robinson is a very low blow.

Kinda like when Oden gets compared to Sam Bowie....

[cucad8]

Anyone remember Kobe and MJ early in their careers? Not saying that Durant's ceiling is that high, but Robinson is a very low blow.

Kobe, I can see, but MJ early in his career? Not seeing the comparison. You mean the MJ who put up 28, 6.5 and 6 his rookie year? While shooting 51.5%? How is that comparable? Maybe I am misreading what you are saying, and if so, I apologize.

[Charcoal Filtered]

Anyone remember Kobe early in his career?

Fixed.

[BlackMamba]

well, what almost everybody have mentioned, durant is in a real tough spot.

no offense on the sonics, but they literally blew their team apart. durant would have needed at least one of ray allen or lewis.

he really has no-one to look up to on that team. i don't know if he's too young and too NBA young to be the true leader of a team.

he has the talent, he will score and he will be the main part, but having the team he has, it really has no purpose, no real future to think that seattle in a couple of years will be back on to be a playoff contender.

but, BUT, maybe they are waiting to again land a 1-3 pick in this draft and try, like the blazers have in the last couple of years, to build a young core of talented players that will boost them to victory.

[wiff]

Seattle fan here. That article is a joke.

Yes it is hard for Durant and he doesn't have much help. Teams double team him like crazy yet the kid still is getting 20pts a night.

The kid is gifted but he is playing out of position at the SG. As a Sonic fan I really would love to see him at SF next year. His FG% will go way up and so will his rebounding numbers.

I get most frustraded with him when he floats around the 3 point line waiting to chuck up a 3 ball. But the last game against Houston he was working on getting good looks for a mid range J. I hope he continues to do that, instead of settling for the 3ball. I haven't been impressed with PJ at all.

But whoever said he doesn't play D. You haven't watched many games. He takes D personally. And is always working at getting better at it. Sure he gets burned but so does everyone in the league.

To say he is playing like Glenn Robinson is an insult.

TMAC didn't have the same ball park numbers as Durant does until he was into his third season.

I'm not really sweating it.

[wiff]

By the way thanks for the consideration about not trolling with this article. This season has been a hard one.

If anyone wants to keep the i-5 rivalry going here is a link.

http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=753710

Take it easy.

[listerine]

I've only seen Durant play once (Christmas game against Blazers), but his defense on Roy was great. Near the end of the game, they put him on Roy and he shut our boy down. And it was man-to-man, no trapping zones or anything. His length and his quickness bothered Roy more than any other single man defender I've seen this season.

Durant had a lot of intensity when guarding Roy and I think that's going to push him above a Glen Robinson type career.

It's too bad that Seattle has essentially designed an offense for Durant to be a chucker. In a few years, we'll see what he's made of though.

[Dakotah612]

slightly OT, but this person who wrote Abbott, if it's really him, is a really well known author and has written scripts for three movies.

[Charlie78]

More than anything with durant the thing that always scared me off was his frame. I just look at a guy like T-mac who has all the skill in the world but he cant take the physicality of the NBA.