Is Kevin Durant a once-in-a-generation type of talent?

[doublejs07]

We hear this title given to guys like Lebron, Michael Jordan, Magic, etc....is it safe to say that Kevin Durant is in this company?  His skill-set for his size is unbelievable.  Where the hell is his ceiling?  I can't think of anyone that I've seen that can compare to him.  It's scary that he's only 21 years old.  OKC has a great thing going and as a b-ball fan, it's going to fun to watch this team over the next couple of years. 

 

[illfrozn]

But does he have that killer instinct or is he like Duncan?

 

[megatron187em]

yes

 

[sonunox34]

He is a no-emotions assassin... a killer robot

If he adds a little bulk, he could be unreal. It's sick how well he shoots and moves with his size.

 

[bangdak]

Yes, he does have that killer instinct.



He may not have that clutchness yet, but he's been able to do it countless times, in this season alone.


That OKC team is really stacked. Look at the average age, and its already in the middle of the western playoffs. Just imagine how they'll be in a few years

 

[rook]

Add All-NBA type defense & he'll become this generation version of Kobe IMO

 

[high class scum bag]

i said this back in 2007....he's dirk and t-mac rolled into 1 player....i just wish the blazers mgmt wouldve listened to me....F*** Greg Oden

 

[seymore cake]

Originally Posted by sonunox34

He is a no-emotions assassin... a killer robot

If he adds a little bulk, he could be is unreal. It's sick how well he shoots and moves with his size.

its to the point where I expect every shot he takes to go in... Seriously.

 

[e3lal]

illfrozn wrote:

---

But does he have that killer instinct or is he like Duncan?
So 4 championships is not good enough?

 

[joesarge]

Originally Posted by E3LAL

illfrozn wrote:

---

But does he have that killer instinct or is he like Duncan?

So 4 championships is not good enough?


Yeah I wasn't sure about that either. I think TD did pretty well for himself. Killer instinct kicked in for Game 7 of the 05 playoffs against my Pistons too. I'm sure I was about the only one watching that year.

 

[illfrozn]

Originally Posted by E3LAL

illfrozn wrote:

---

But does he have that killer instinct or is he like Duncan?

So 4 championships is not good enough?



Oh, don't get it twisted, Duncan has had an incredible career, but people say that he's too laid back; doesn't have a killer instict, etc. I'm just asking if KD falls into that same lane or not ...

 

[datznasty]

Why do people keep with the misconception he needs to bulk up significantly? I mean if he does fine, but if not I don't expect his game to suffer. He posts dudes regularly, Shane Battier, Anthony Parker, LR Mbah A Moute, Nocioni, etc. all get it from him in the post. There's more to post game than being a heavy brute and leaning on guys and taking several backdown dribbles trying to dislodge each other. In fact, that type of post play is becoming extinct. Most guys no fight for position a little bit to get to their spot, reverse pivot and face up, or take no more than 2 backdown dribbles and shoot. Any more than that and the double team is already there anyways.

He also averages almost 10 ftas per game which means he's taking contact, and is top of the league in And 1's as well which means he has the strength and balance to take the contact and still finish. Weight room strength and functional strength aren't one and the same.

Once in a generation might be an overstatement, but he is a great talent and it's ashamed not as many people know about it yet because to the NBA and ESPN only like 4 teams exist. You'd think Stern would want to push to market a clean cut guy like himself, no tattoos, no techs, no tabloid off the court stories, always says the right thing, and the team is winning right now.

 

[doublejs07]

From the Czar:

Points come easily to Durant – they come in the flow of the game. He doesn’t throw his team out of balance to get his numbers. In fact among recent big-number guys he’s one of the most efficient scorers I’ve seen at this stage in his career. He went for 45 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Golden State on Sunday. In that game he shot 76.2% from the floor and 100% from the line – incredible


Czar's opinion on Durant

and in looking at the bold, I've noticed this as well.  We've seen MANY superstars over the years (who will remain nameless) that put up numbers while the rest of the team stands around and watches. 

 

[lil stevie728]

I think so. It could be a long time before we see any player like him and Dirk have success in the NBA at the level they are having. It's gonna take a guard having a big growth spurt late in their HS career to be able to have that skillset, especially in America since most big men in HS aren't developed to be perimeter-oriented.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Once in a generation talents dominate on both sides of the ball, Kevin doesn't do that he sleeps on the other side of the ball.

 

[pharelfor3]

yes sir

 

[ricardo malta]

NoT one of a kind, IMO. Will somebody come along with the same exact package? No, but with the way our youth systems are set up with AAU and basketball now a year round sport, the chances of seeing guys just as good, if not better, are highly likely. And it won't be 5-10 year differences between seeing guys of KD's calibur but probably closer to half that time frame. Law of averages.

 

[airmaxpenny1]

Originally Posted by Osh Kosh Bosh

Once in a generation talents dominate on both sides of the ball, Kevin doesn't do that he sleeps on the other side of the ball.

But Chris Bosh is a franchise player...

 

[classified]

He is THAT dude. 2nd fav. player in the L behind D.Will.

 

[datznasty]

Who does still dominate both sides of the ball anymore anyways? Kobe? Dude gets lit up by the likes of Aaron Aflallo and consistently gets caught napping/ball watching on D. Just because he takes the challenge (which admittedly is a quality to admire), and plays stiffly borderline fouling D for a few possessions in a row and SC extrapolates it as if it was the whole game, doesn't make it anymore true.

 

[dman14]

ya forgot about tmac? these two are basically the same type of players. if jonathan bender had healthy knees...(only guy to take reggie miller and larry bird's money on the regular in shooting contest)

 

[bhzmafia14]

Originally Posted by Osh Kosh Bosh

Once in a generation talents dominate on both sides of the ball, Kevin doesn't do that he sleeps on the other side of the ball.

Yep. At his size, he should be able to lock players up at his position. The same knock people had on other guys that could light it up, but give up 20-30 as well should stand for him too.

I was a Tmac fan back in his Magic days and he wasn't able to do that either. He wasn't a once in a generation type of player though. Durant's efficiency makes him more of a special player than Tmac was though.

Hopefully Durant can step up his defensive game in a few years though. He has an ample amount of time to do that. If he can lead the Thunder anywhere near the Finals within' the next two years like Lebron did with Cleveland at a young age, he will definitely be that dude for years to come. 

  

 

[bangdak]

Datz, if Durant can bulk up, dont you think he'll be able to play from sg, down to pf?



He has the size, and the quickness, to do so. Dude's ceiling is the sky for him.

 

[dman14]

Originally Posted by bhzmafia14

Originally Posted by Osh Kosh Bosh

Once in a generation talents dominate on both sides of the ball, Kevin doesn't do that he sleeps on the other side of the ball.

Yep. At his size, he should be able to lock players up at his position. The same knock people had on other guys that could light it up, but give up 20-30 as well should stand for him too.

I was a Tmac fan back in his Magic days and he wasn't able to do that either. He wasn't a once in a generation type of player though. Durant's efficiency makes him more of a special player than Tmac was though.

Hopefully Durant can step up his defensive game in a few years though. He has an ample amount of time to do that. If he can lead the Thunder anywhere near the Finals within' the next two years like Lebron did with Cleveland at a young age, he will definitely be that dude for years to come. 

  

tmac had the ability to play defense. he did it in his early days, especially in toronto. you cant blame him for slacking on the defensive end when he was basically carrying the magic franchise with grant's injury.

 

[bhzmafia14]

Originally Posted by DMan14

Originally Posted by bhzmafia14

Originally Posted by Osh Kosh Bosh

Once in a generation talents dominate on both sides of the ball, Kevin doesn't do that he sleeps on the other side of the ball.

Yep. At his size, he should be able to lock players up at his position. The same knock people had on other guys that could light it up, but give up 20-30 as well should stand for him too.

I was a Tmac fan back in his Magic days and he wasn't able to do that either. He wasn't a once in a generation type of player though. Durant's efficiency makes him more of a special player than Tmac was though.

Hopefully Durant can step up his defensive game in a few years though. He has an ample amount of time to do that. If he can lead the Thunder anywhere near the Finals within' the next two years like Lebron did with Cleveland at a young age, he will definitely be that dude for years to come. 

  

tmac had the ability to play defense. he did it in his early days, especially in toronto. you cant blame him for slacking on the defensive end when he was basically carrying the magic franchise with grant's injury.

True, but that's just like saying Wade or Lebron shouldn't be playing defense either since they basically carry their entire franchise on their back.

What will help Durant is the fact that the players around play good D. He can afford to slack off defensively and still look good as an overall player because Westbrook/Sef are good defenders in the backcourt. You won't hear people talking about Durant's defense because as a team the Thunder are a good defensive team. If they were a bad team, all you would hear is how bad their defense is and Durant would be the first to blame because he's the star.