It’s very rare for an athlete to go throughout his career and not be recognized for his accomplishments. The 2007 NBA draft was birth to a one-in-a-lifetime superstar who wasn’t even the first pick. Unfortunately, Greg Oden and Kevin Durant will be forever attached in name, with the latter out-doing the former tremendously.
Kevin Durant is a superstar, plain and simple. After two incredible individual seasons, Durant’s biggest knock was his inability to help the Thunder win. Durant averaged 20.3 points per game his rookie season, good enough to win Rookie of the year, but his improvement has been remarkable. Not only has he averaged five more points per game per season in the last two seasons to raise his season average to 29.7, but has virtually improved every year in ever statistical category, including field goal percentage, rebounds, and assists.
Kevin Durant has subtly incorporated his name amongst the NBA’s most gifted, yet due to the small market economy of Oklahoma City, has yet to be recognized as a superstar. The second pick in the 2007 draft reached 3,000 points in 134 games, good for third fastest in NBA history. Trailing behind two players who are nothing short of household names: Michael Jordan, who accomplished the feat in 108 games, and Lebron James, who took 133. So why is it that the second leading scorer in the NBA, only three years out of college, is still looked over? Is it because of a silly plus-minus stat that was brought up last year? Impossible, cause according to the same writer, Durant now, “eats plus-minus for breakfast.”
At 6’9 and athletic, the young forward isn’t done making history. Only three players since the 1986 season have had 25 consecutive games of 25 plus points or more. Durant is on this list once again accompanying the one and only Michael Jordan, as well as Allen Iverson, who has a career average of 26.7 points per game, good for sixth all time. Not even Mr. 81 Kobe Bryant, a man that posted nine consecutive 40-point games is on the list. Not even the great Lebron James, who has a career average of 27.1 points per game and already this season scored 24 consecutive points in a six minute span over the Knicks.
Oklahoma City’s records the last two years have been pretty forgettable, averaging 21 and a half wins a game. Durant and his teammates have completely turned it around though, heading into the All-Star break 30-21, good for fifth in the tough Western Conference and riding a six-game winning streak. The Thunder’s top eight players are an average age of 23, leaving the sky as the limit for this young and talented crop of players. Kevin Durant continues to play at an incredible level, the question is, how many more records does he have to break to be included amongst the NBA’s elite?
No comments:
Post a Comment