Kevin Durant: Not the Best Yet
When Kevin Durant plays offense, he leaves many a would-be defender incredulous, with a “I-just- looked-round-and-he's-gone”expression.
Why? Because Kevin Durant, he who is the leader of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder basketball squad, has probably just flown by said defender for a dunk, a lay-up, or a slick two-point bank shot.
And then he probably chest-pumps about it.
Young, panther-like, and with an ever-burgeoning offensive schtick, confident Kevin Durant is starting to tip the unstoppable meter.
Who can deal with this guy? 6'10" (longer in wingspan), simply immeasurably long and at the height of his jumping powers, he can't be guarded for a full game.
Add to this that perhaps his greatest asset is his jump shot, and he's scarier than Grendel, Frankenstein and Godzilla combined.
It is going to be an ever prettifying portrait of a basketball player as Kevin Durant goes on through the years.
But is he the NBA's best player? This writer would have to say no.
Durant, the 2009-2010 NBA scoring champion, and all-NBA first team in 2010, has to further earn that distinction. The giants of pro basketball have always arduously earned such a title.
“Best player” is garnered when a superstar clearly separates himself from all other contenders.
It took Kareem a few years to distinguish himself from Wilt, West and Oscar. It took Michael six years to get the title from Magic. It took Kobe several years to slip by Shaq as the NBA's best player.
A “must” also for ascendancy to the NBA's individual throne is the stipulation that the “designee be a two-way player.”
Kevin Durant is complete offensively, but on defense he is not a “shutdown guy,” although he is getting closer.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant in their prime were all devastating defenders, in addition to being offensive geniuses. Kevin Durant must reach their apex defensive level.
Currently, Kevin Durant is displaying such superb offensive prowess, that it's almost natural that he's left a little focus to be desired on defense.
Durant is an excellent shot blocker and an imposing figure—near intimidating—but he's not yet stifling on defense.
The next criterion for NBA primacy is that Kevin Durant must prove himself more dominant in the later rounds of the NBA playoffs. If that means reining in his often wayward second-in-command Russell Westbrook, so as not to spoil things for the Oklahoma City Thunder, then Durant must find a method of doing just that.
The most important thing for Kevin Durant to do, however, is to show that he represents the most dominant presence on the floor during the game's most crucial moments. Nearly all of the time. Whenever. That is, that he can effect the game to a greater extent in his favor than can any other player.
Finally, Kevin Durant must acquire an MVP award. If an NBA player is the best player, in his prime he will collect this award. From Bob Petit to Tim Duncan, this has proven to be the case.
As the new NBA season (hopefully) approaches, one would have to say that Kevin Durant is the NBA's fourth best player, behind LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Dirk Nowitzky.
If Kevin Durant, 23, and entering his fifth NBA campaign, continues to improve at his present rate, he will very soon take a combined leap over all three of his higher-ups.
