Question: How is Durant's character? Is he a snob queen like LeBron? A wannabe gangster like Melo? Humble like Wade? Thanks
Well, Durant flew somewhere (can't remember where) with coach Barnes a day early to meet with the press. He asked coach, "Where are my teammates?" He plays that way too. Never too high, never too low, but still exciting. He tells the coach to be hard on him because he wants to be the best. I don't know if he has the strength for it, but he has everything else he needs to be the best in the game.
I'm not trying to put Durant down at all, I'm a Longhorn and a HUGE Durant fan. If Oden isn't in Durant's class, who is? There's a reason why a lot of scouts were saying Oden would have been the #1 pick as a Junior in HS!! I'm just saying that Oden will have more draft value because of his size. But the kid also has a skill set that is better than KG, Bosh, Shaq, D. Howard, JO, etc...had when they were his age IMO. Oden probably is too dependent on his physical advantage, but what big guy (in college and HS) didn't? It's not like other big guys didn't do the same, what seperates Oden is that he has a pretty good skill set on top of his size. I would definitely agree that perimeter guards/fowards are just as important as dominant centers. But if Oden comes as advertised, you're talking about a guy who could be a Dream, Robinson, Shaq, Duncan type player. But that is a big if.
Barnes' has nothing but great things to say about Durant. From what I've heard, Barnes is a very tough coach that is really tough on his players. He's said that he has gotten on Durant a couple times and that Durant came after practice one day to tell him he wants him to be hard on him because he wants to be "special." Not sure who many players with Durant's talent would say that.
Let's take this up again after March Madness (or probably sooner). I suppose it isn't really fair to compare them now because of Oden's injury. At least right now, I give the edge to Durant.
I can't wait. Durant is best UT BB player in at least the last 10 years if not ever. Augustin is a very good sidekick for him or is it the other way around. As a UT fan, I hope he stays four years, but Augustin would look very nice in Rockets Red. OSU on Tuesday if they can play should be a good barometer for UT.
You can't include KG in there because he's not a true post type player. I will be shocked if Oden ends up like Howard, just doesn't look like that sort of athelte, but I haven't seen alot of Oden either. I think he's a shade below those guys, and especially Shaq.
oden looks like a hermit giant who recently came of age, which to hermit giants is somewhere around 250 years.
Right now he is, but Oden was probably the 2nd biggest prospect coming out of high school ever (behind Lebron), and was definitely a bigger prospect than D. Howard when he came out. I'm not sure if Oden will live up to the hype but he definitely has all the tools to be a really good player in the NBA.
I just don't see the reason to compare the two players. Durant and Oden are fantastic prospects. In most other years, either player would go #1. You'd have to imagine that Oden will go #1, if for no other reason, than because he'll be expected to play the 5. Still, I think anybody who will say, right now, which one will have the better NBA career is blowing hot air.
Weekly honors continue for Durant AUSTIN, Texas -- University of Texas freshman swingman Kevin Durant earned a trio of honors on Monday. Durant was tabbed the National Player of the Week by both ESPN.com and The Sporting News, and he also received Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Player of the Week accolades. Durant averaged 31.0 points and 13.0 rebounds in UT's home victories against Missouri (88-68) and Oklahoma (80-69) during the week. He converted 20-of-31 (.645) field goals and 19-of-21 (.905) free throws and added five assists and three steals in the two contests. Andy Katz of ESPN.com wrote, "There's no more denying this fact: Kevin Durant may be the best player in the country. He is a serious national player of the year candidate and looks like the runaway winner of the freshman of the year award." This marks the second straight week that Durant has earned the league's Player of the Week honor. It also marks the fourth straight week and sixth time this year that Durant has earned one of the weekly awards, as he claimed Rookie of the Week accolades on Nov. 13, Nov. 20, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2. In Wednesday's victory against Missouri, he became the first freshman in conference history to record back-to-back 30-point outings, when he scored 34 points on 10-of-14 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds. Durant followed with 28 points and 13 rebounds during Saturday's win against Oklahoma. For the year, Durant leads the team in scoring (23.7 ppg), rebounding (11.0 rpg) and blocked shots (29). He also leads the Big 12 Conference in both scoring and rebounding and ranks in the Top 10 nationally in both categories. Durant has registered a league-leading 10 double-doubles and has reached the 20-point plateau seven straight and 14 of the first 16 contests. No. 21 Texas (13-3, 3-0 Big 12) returns to action on Tuesday, Jan. 16 when it travels to face No. 12 Oklahoma State (15-2, 1-1 Big 12). Tip is set for 8 p.m. CT at Gallagher-Iba Arena, and the game will be televised nationally by ESPN2. Link
I'm a UT fan, and today Durant is probably does more to help his team win than Greg Oden. But, if you look at the NBA teams that have won championships throughout history, it isn't usually a small forward that carries a team to a championship. The exception being Larry Bird. If I had to pick between the 2 for the NBA, I'd take Oden. Even though I think Durant is currently the better player. Both seem like much better prospects than the players last year's worst NBA teams had to select from.
that's assuming oden is gonna be as good as duncan, shaq, or hakeem. jordan won six rings, he's not a big man. magic won five. isiah won two being the best player on his team.
You have to both to win a championship unless you are Michael Jordan and then you still need a good defending big man ie Bill Cartwright and Dennis Rodman. The thing is that quality big men are harder to find so you snatch them up. If you look at Oden, he is the best big man prospect since Dwight Howard. Now lets look at good can't miss big men that have come out since 1990. Deke Shaq Deke (only for defense) Duncan Yao Dwight Howard Omeka Okefer Garnett ( He wasn't a can't miss) That's approximately 1 every 2 years or so and that included Power Fowards. If you look at just centers. They come around every 5 years or so and I consider Duncan a center. Now there a quality wing men in every draft and usually there are more than one. Wade got drafted 5 after Lebron and Melo. Arenas came out in the second round. You can even get good wing men in trades and free agency such is how we got Tmac. How many wing men would you trade Tmac for and not lose any sleep over it. For me many, Lebron, Melo, Arenas, Kobe, Nash and Wade. Now even though Tmac is more important to our team in terms of winning, How many centers would you trade Yao for. I can't think of one unless you consider Duncan a center. That being said, Durant is special and will turn out at least as good as Melo. He's a longer version of Tmac which is really scary.
I've seen him play and man, he's really good...Had a bad game this weekend against V, but still outstanding none the less...
It depends on who has the number one pick. Memphis is stocked with swingmen in Miller, Gay, and Warrick, so they would probably pick Oden, unless West makes a trade. Philly needs offense a helluva lot more than defense, so they would probably take Durant. Boston needs defense a helluva lot more than offense, so they would probably taken Oden. Atlanta has Joe Johnson and Josh Childress, so they probably take Oden. Charlotte has a decent center in Okafor and couldn't score at the Playboy Mansion with Hugh Hefner's ATM card, so they would probably take Durant
