Kevin Durant - Is He Overated?

Today is the first time I have had a chance to see him play. He has 25 against Kansas at the half including a bunch of threes.

However, so far I have not been impressed with his potential as an NBA player.

In the first half he avoided all body contact, both on offense and defense. All his points came on either turnaround jumpers or face up jumpers except for a breakaway dunk and a inbounds lob.

You can't judge a player off of 20 minutes and there is no doubt that he can shoot.

However, jump shooters can be neutralized in the NBA. What has made the great offensive players great (other than the centers) in the NBA is their ability to create their own shots and get to the foul line in addition to being able to hit the outside shot.

Another half to come and then there is the NCAA tournament. I want to see Durant put the rock on the floor and take it to the hoop. If I see this then I will be impressed.

In the second half, the last 10 minutes, Durant took it to the hoop 4 times and lost the ball 4 times, getting no foul shots.

Not impressed, but then he is only a freshmen.

I see him at this point as a shooting guard in the NBA.

This guy moves very well... let's remeber he's only a FRESHMAN... putting up gr8 numbers in a hostile environment... it was obvious he suffered a bad ankle sprain which effected his 2nd half performance...
I'm impressed with his range and mature post game... he'll fill out in the next couple of years.

I can only speak for today's game, but he was never in the paint the whole game. No way did he look like even a high school version of Bosh.

He did everything he could to avoid contact. You can't play the front line in the NBA if you don't like contact unless you play like a Euro and Bosh does not play like a Euro.

Greg Oden is the same age and he goes right at them. Durant avoided contact the whole game which included before he hurt his ankle, even on defense.

I don't think hostile environment has anything to do with it. By the time you have played at this level (one whole year) you are either the type who likes contact, tolerates it, or avoids it. Durant was an avoider all day on offense and defense, just like a Euro player.

I was not impressed except with his outside shooting and quick release, but the rest of his game was non-existent. Julian Wright impressed me more today.

Yeah same age as who? He looked as old as I did when I was 40!!

Yes I have noticed that too, but I am going with the Wikipedia on this one. LOL

Actually Oden and I were both born in Buffalo NY, but I left about 2 decades before he was born and have never been back.

Greg Oden - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well, you don't know how old I look. Man it is really tough growing up in Buffalo. You get to acting and looking old real fast there. LOL

Overated?? No. Overhyped....HELL YES!!! He's one of if not the bes player in college basketball right now. Here's the thing, just because you're good in college does not mean you'll be good in the league. When I look at Durant it looks as if he could at best be the next T-Mac if he fills out and gets some hops, at worse the next Jonathan Bender, or in the middle as another Tayshaun or Rashard Lewis.

Yes Durant is OverHyped, however, I cannot call him overrated when he is still projected as a #2 pick behind Greg Odenwokandi.

Thats right.

I said it.

To show this kinda of poise at his age is remarkable... this kid is the real thing... sure he'll make youthful mistakes... but why would any one expect more from him at this time???
Buhda, we didn't watch the same game... he definately scored in the paint on several occasions.
Looks like a big SF down the road.

Durant doesn't turn 19 until September, he could grow like Amir did.

I'd take him with the #1 pick without thinking twice about it.

I believe he has changed his name to Harrison. So it would have to be Greg Odenharrison. Somehow that doesn't sound as good. LOL


Personally, as a "Casual Fan" I would take Horford, if he comes out, over either of those guys.

Did u graduate from high school with Rick James? .......i'm in love with maryjane
she's my main thang
she makes me feel all right-a
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and when i'm feelin low
shecomes as no suprise
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do u love me MARYJANE???? - " a stone groove man, u r the most righteous...."

I don't think so. I grew up in Buffalo but went to high school in one of the suburbs.

Actually, my older brother went to the same high school as Bob Lanier, only about a decade before Lanier.

That is how I became a Piston fan, when he got drafted by the Pistons from St. Bonnie, who actually had some of the best teams in the country in those days.

Those were the days when Lanier and Calvin Murphy had some great battles. Those were the glory years for Western N.Y. State college hoops.

Calvin Murphy Past Stats, Playoff Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards

Calvin Murphy was by far the best under 5'10" guy to ever play in the NBA. If they had the slam dunk contest when he played, he probably would have won it at least 5 or 6 times.

He was also, believe it or not, a world class baton twirler!!

I havent seen too much of him to comment on his actual game, but from what I have seen and read from those who have, yes he is overhyped, but thats the media's fault, again just labeling him the "next big thing" rather than seeing how his game pans out over the next few years.

He reminds me of Rashard Lewis without the post-up game.

Not that that's a bad thing.