Reports: Durant Wins Rookie Honor

[duncan228]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/04/30/durant.roy.ap/index.html

Reports: Durant wins rookie honor
Story Highlights
Kevin Durant averaged a team-leading 20.3 points for the SuperSonics
Al Horford and Luis Scola were considered Durant's top challengers for the award

SEATTLE (AP) -- Kevin Durant of the Seattle SuperSonics has been chosen as the NBA Rookie of Year, The Associated Press has learned.

The person with knowledge of the vote requested anonymity because the official announcement has not been made.

The honor was first reported by The Seattle Times in Wednesday's editions.

The announcement is expected to become official on Thursday.

Durant was the SuperSonics leading scorer in his rookie season, living up to the lofty expectations placed on him after being the national college player of the year at Texas and the No. 2 overall pick in June's draft.

He had to carry the scoring load for the rebuilding franchise from the start and didn't disappoint. Durant averaged 20.3 points -- the highest scoring average for a rookie since LeBron James averaged 20.9 points in 2003-04.

Despite strong rookie seasons from Atlanta's Al Horford and Houston's Luis Scola, Durant's selection is hardly a surprise, especially after No. 1 pick Greg Oden went down over the summer with a knee injury. Durant was the Western Conference rookie of the month five times and is the first Sonics player to win the rookie award.

"It would mean a lot," Durant said after the season about the rookie award. "My main goal was to come in and get better. This summer is big for me to become a better player and help this team out next year and that's what I'm going to try and do. But if I am the rookie of the year, it's a blessing."

Durant experienced the typical rookie struggles early on. He took rushed and challenged shots at times, dropping his shooting percentage.

But as the season progressed, Durant's confidence grew even as the team stumbled through the worst season in franchise history. Durant averaged 21.8 points and shot nearly 53 percent in March. He capped his rookie season by averaging 24.3 points in his final eight games. Durant scored the winning points in what could have been the Sonics' final home game in Seattle, a 99-95 win over Dallas, then followed up with a career-best 42 points in the Sonics season finale against Golden State.

All those numbers came in a season where the Sonics won just 20 games, often overshadowed by the off-court battles of where the team will play in the future.

"He's had a big load on his shoulders for a rookie to step in and be asked to carry the scoring load and be the face of the franchise," teammate Nick Collison said after the season. "He's just been great."

[monosylab1k]

Hey Kevin, when you're playing in shitty OKC trying to make it to the end of your rookie contract, just remember that there's a real city a couple hours south of there.

[BlackSwordsMan]

PJ should trade him to the Spurs for their future draft picks!

[duncan228]

It's official.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/05/01/durant.roy.ap/index.html

Durant named Rookie of the Year
Story Highlights
Kevin Durant is the first Sonic to win Rookie of the Year
Al Horford finished second and Luis Scola was third

BELLEVUE, Wash. (AP) -- The Sonics' Kevin Durant has been honored as the NBA Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Seattle player to win the award -- and perhaps the last.

Durant, the national college player of the year at Texas and the No. 2 pick in last year's draft, averaged 20.3 points per game.

Durant has been a bright spot during a dismal basketball season in Seattle. The Sonics won only 20 games, and the owner is moving the team to Oklahoma City.

Durant experienced the typical rookie struggles early on. He took rushed and challenged shots at times, dropping his shooting percentage.

But as the season progressed, Durant's confidence grew even as the team stumbled through the worst season in franchise history. Durant averaged 21.8 points and shot nearly 53 percent in March. He capped his rookie season by averaging 24.3 points in his final eight games. Durant scored the winning points in what could have been the Sonics' final home game in Seattle, a 99-95 win over Dallas, then followed up with a career-best 42 points in the Sonics season finale against Golden State.

All those numbers came in a season where the Sonics won just 20 games, often overshadowed by the off-court battles of where the team will play in the future.

"He's had a big load on his shoulders for a rookie to step in and be asked to carry the scoring load and be the face of the franchise," teammate Nick Collison said after the season. "He's just been great."

Rookie of the Year Voting
Player, Team 1st 2nd 3rd Pts
Kevin Durant, Seattle 90 30 5 545
Al Horford, Atlanta 30 74 18 390
Luis Scola, Houston 5 20 61 146
Al Thornton, L.A. Clippers - 1 27 30
Jamario Moon, Toronto - - 7 7
Juan Carlos Navarro, Memphis - - 3 3
Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia - - 2 2
Carl Landry, Houston - - 1 1
Mike Conley, Memphis - - 1 1

[Rip-Hamilton32]

horford got robbed

[Spurminator]

Close for me, but I would have given it to Horford. I felt like Durant's success was a function of all of the touches he got, while Horford fit himself into a "system" (perhaps a stretch when describing Hawks Basketball) and was a key contributor to a "Playoff" team.

Durant had a hell of a March, though, and I think that's what pushed him over the top.

[stretch]

Kevin Durant was once in a knife fight, and the knife lost.

[ambchang]

Scola was screwed.

[DAF86]

horford got robbed

Yep, double-double all season long for a playoff team.

[SpursDynasty]

Haha Greg Oden didn't win it.

[SRJ]

Hey Kevin, when you're playing in shitty OKC trying to make it to the end of your rookie contract, just remember that there's a real city a couple hours south of there.

San Antonio is further away than you described.

[Deuces88]

Since when can a rookie win this award being on a team with only 20 wins? I mean at LEAST give it to a rookie on a team that made the playoffs.

I really think they put Oden's name on that award before the pre-season. Then when Oden got injured, they scratched his name off and put Durant's name.

Also, of course Durant is gonna average 20...who else on Sonics is gonna get the damn ball?!? He's also a forward with 43% FG percentage. IMO, that's low. Then he has 28% 3-point percentage...WHY IS THIS GUY SHOOTING 3's?!?! He's friggin 6'9", get in the paint and play your damn position!

I don't think Durant deserved it at all. Also, can someone get him a hot meal. The guys is WAAAY too skinny.

[kingsfan]

His mom woke him up to tell him and he was so excited he went back to sleep :lol
Horford was definitely robbed. Woodson called it a travesty, he's pissed! Hawks made the POs for the first time in 9 years and Al was a huge part of that.

[monosylab1k]

Horford was great, but it's alot tougher to go into the NBA as the savior of a franchise in absolute turmoil while being called the next Dirk and/or Jordan.

Durant had about 100000000000x more pressure on him than Horford did. And he handled himself incredibly well.

You can certainly make a case for Horford, but to say Horford was robbed is really unfair to Durant. The guy had a huge burden placed on him the second he was drafted.

[monosylab1k]

Since when can a rookie win this award being on a team with only 20 wins? I mean at LEAST give it to a rookie on a team that made the playoffs.

I really think they put Oden's name on that award before the pre-season. Then when Oden got injured, they scratched his name off and put Durant's name.

Also, of course Durant is gonna average 20...who else on Sonics is gonna get the damn ball?!? He's also a forward with 43% FG percentage. IMO, that's low. Then he has 28% 3-point percentage...WHY IS THIS GUY SHOOTING 3's?!?! He's friggin 6'9", get in the paint and play your damn position!

I don't think Durant deserved it at all. Also, can someone get him a hot meal. The guys is WAAAY too skinny.

You're quickly earning status as the biggest dumbass on the forums. Hi Jeff.

[Red Hawk #21]

My boy Horford should have got this award, or maybe even Scola. Durant's a fine player though.

[Deuces88]

You're quickly earning status as the biggest dumbass on the forums. Hi Jeff.

You are very, very stupid. What justification can you say that Durant is the best rookie WHEN he led a LOSING TEAM. Maybe you didn't get the part where he would OBVIOUSLY get around 20 ppg because he was made the go-to guy even before stepping onto the court. It's like when LeBron was made the go-to guy before even putting on a Cavs jersey. The difference is LeBron did well with his team and what did Durant do for his team? Get them to 2nd worst record instead of the worst?

Wow, what an accomplishment. Point is, you didn't understand my points because you don't understand this ball game. It's understandable. You're just another fanboy who doesn't know anything about basketball.

[monosylab1k]

You are very, very stupid. What justification can you say that Durant is the best rookie WHEN he led a LOSING TEAM. Maybe you didn't get the part where he would OBVIOUSLY get around 20 ppg because he was made the go-to guy even before stepping onto the court. It's like when LeBron was made the go-to guy before even putting on a Cavs jersey. The difference is LeBron did well with his team and what did Durant do for his team? Get them to 2nd worst record instead of the worst?

Wow, what an accomplishment. Point is, you didn't understand my points because you don't understand this ball game. It's understandable. You're just another fanboy who doesn't know anything about basketball.

The team traded away Ray Allen and lost Rashard Lewis to free agency. they were 100 times worse than the season before. They might have been one of the top 10 least talented teams in NBA history, and Durant got them to 20 wins. As a rookie with outrageously high expectations placed upon him. Sorry but Horford doesn't have anywhere near the same amount of pressure on him.

[Deuces88]

The team traded away Ray Allen and lost Rashard Lewis to free agency. they were 100 times worse than the season before. They might have been one of the top 10 least talented teams in NBA history, and Durant got them to 20 wins. As a rookie with outrageously high expectations placed upon him. Sorry but Horford doesn't have anywhere near the same amount of pressure on him.

So moron, you're judging on who had the most pressure? Oh so this is the "Rookie with Most Pressure" award. I forgot. Horford didn't need to average 20 because they had Joe Johnson and Josh Smith to score. Horford definitely fit into his role and played it well and is performing nicely in the post-season while Durant is fishing somewhere.

"and Durant got them to 20 wins" So you're saying this is an accomplishment. Wow, I'm stopping here. You're not smart on basketball.

[monosylab1k]

So moron, you're judging on who had the most pressure? Oh so this is the "Rookie with Most Pressure" award. I forgot. Horford didn't need to average 20 because they had Joe Johnson and Josh Smith to score. Horford definitely fit into his role and played it well and is performing nicely in the post-season while Durant is fishing somewhere.

"and Durant got them to 20 wins" So you're saying this is an accomplishment. Wow, I'm stopping here. You're not smart on basketball.

Hi Jeff.

You have no fucking clue what you're talking about. You don't see the big picture. But you're a Spurs fan so I can understand that you have a limited understanding of the big picture in the NBA. You think rings grow on trees and every team is stupid for not having Tim Duncan.

I love Al Horford, I think the guy is a badass. But it's a lot easier to put up nice rookie numbers when you're the 4th option on your team and nobody has any real expectations. For Durant to put up the numbers he did with the pressure of an entire franchise resting on his shoulders, with the media glare firmly placed upon him, and with a crew of absolutely horrid supporting players.....it's fucking impressive. It's deserving of Rookie Of The Year. End of story.

[Deuces88]

Hi Jeff.

Game, set, match. You don't know how to analyze these things so you respond with this random nonsense. Go back to the virtual basketball games.

[monosylab1k]

Game, set, match. You don't know how to analyze these things so you respond with this random nonsense. Go back to the virtual basketball games.

:lmao

:bking

game set match

[Deuces88]

:lmao

:bking

game set match

Again, another insightful and intelligent post. :lmao

Seriously, anyone worth arguing with than this kid

[monosylab1k]

Again, another insightful and intelligent post. :lmao

Seriously, anyone worth arguing with than this kid

America, eatin' my lunch from a single bowl in my parents basement, where I'm livin'. Happy Birthday, I'm forty-three.

Don't want to waste those precious calories...chewin'. Jesus come move my jaw for me, help me get my sloppy food down my throat.

[monosylab1k]

Dang, homeboy's not too bright.

[JoeTait75]

You are very, very stupid. What justification can you say that Durant is the best rookie WHEN he led a LOSING TEAM. Maybe you didn't get the part where he would OBVIOUSLY get around 20 ppg because he was made the go-to guy even before stepping onto the court. It's like when LeBron was made the go-to guy before even putting on a Cavs jersey. The difference is LeBron did well with his team and what did Durant do for his team? Get them to 2nd worst record instead of the worst?

Wow, what an accomplishment. Point is, you didn't understand my points because you don't understand this ball game. It's understandable. You're just another fanboy who doesn't know anything about basketball.

I don't think there's that much difference between LeBron's and Durant's rookie seasons. They both had sky-high expectations, they both were asked to carry bottom-feeder teams, the biggest differences being LeBron had a much better team around him (Boozer and Z at least) than Durant did and the Cavaliers weren't in the process of moving out of town. Neither made the playoffs as a rookie.

Horford had a great season but he wasn't expected to come in and turn the franchise around. Durant was- he didn't, but that wasn't his fault. Seattle's situation was unique to say the least, and beyond the ability of any one player to dictate in a positive way.