CONGRATS USA!

[AceFresh]

Well, it's not as if he didn't have a phenomenal NBA season before that, postseason lockdown courtesy of Mr. Artest notwithstanding.

For any true fan of the game, he's just a pleasure to watch. If he stays healthy, he's going to have one of the truly great careers we've ever seen.

That's one of my beefs w/ him ST, Artest just shut the kid down, I've never seen any great player just taken out of a game like that. He was just ineffective because at this juncture he's just a great scorer. (unlike a LeBron who's a great passer or Kobe who has that killer extinct 2 find a way 2 win games)

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan too and I love watching KD (in all honesty I'd rather him get the torch than Bron) but he has 2 be more then just a prolific scorer for me to call him the next great after Mr. Bryant.

[Kalidogg24]

He has 2 be more then just a prolific scorer for me to call him the next great after Mr. Bryant.

+1

His defense is getting better and will continue to get better.
But it's not Kobe 8 ALL TIME ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM ready.

21 years young and a ceiling higher than anyone.

[Kalidogg24]

CHAMPION!

[dockingsched]

i'm proud to call myself a lamar homer from day one. he deserves all this success.

[Kalidogg24]

My Fault I just had to get that Lamar Odom 2010 Larry O'Brien Championship trophy pic up there too.

[Sedale Threatt]

That's one of my beefs w/ him ST, Artest just shut the kid down, I've never seen any great player just taken out of a game like that. He was just ineffective because at this juncture he's just a great scorer. (unlike a LeBron who's a great passer or Kobe who has that killer extinct 2 find a way 2 win games)

Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan too and I love watching KD (in all honesty I'd rather him get the torch than Bron) but he has 2 be more then just a prolific scorer for me to call him the next great after Mr. Bryant.

You didn't watch the 04 Finals? He's far from the first great player to have a bad series. I remember harping on his inability to do other things as well. It's far too early to tell what else he's going to develop; he's still just a boy, remember.

But if he is "just" a scorer, not only is he probably going to be the very best in the game in that regard, he's going to do it extremely efficiently, and in a manner that does not monopolize the offense. For all that guys like LeBron and Kobe create for their teammates, that's a pretty legit criticism in their games.

In Durant's regard, that lack of ball dominance is a tremendous quality that I'm not sure I've ever seen in another scorer of his capacity.

[AceFresh]

You didn't watch the 04 Finals? He's far from the first great player to have a bad series. I remember harping on his inability to do other things as well. It's far too early to tell what else he's going to develop; he's still just a boy, remember.

But if he is "just" a scorer, not only is he probably going to be the very best in the game in that regard, he's going to do it extremely efficiently, and in a manner that does not monopolize the offense. For all that guys like LeBron and Kobe create for their teammates, that's a pretty legit criticism in their games.

In Durant's regard, that lack of ball dominance is a tremendous quality that I'm not sure I've ever seen in another scorer of his capacity.

I'm not saying the kid has to be perfect, but you take away the scoring aspect from his game - what else can he do?
I understand he's still young, note I said: "time is on the kid's side".
But,
Say he faces a guy like Ron Artest again (nothing he saw in FIBA play) what happens?
Being a great scorer and chucking shots against great defense can only get you so far.

Okay he's amazing off-the-ball does that negate the fact he's still lacking?
The thing I'm trying to prove is he HAS to improve his OVERALL game for me to thrust him in that top tier of players.

He's definitely a superstar and one of the best talents in the league, I love watching him play when I can; but until I see him improve his overall game (rebounding, defense, & playmaking) i'm not sold on him being the "ONE" after Kobe.