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Good find..and I love Durant...but I think ranking the NBA's best players based on projected performance is ignorant. Not directed at you, Duncan228...directed at SLAM.
Top 50: Kevin Durant, no. 8
The definitive ranking of the NBA’s best players.
by Ben Osborne
One of my favorite things about working for a magazine that covers basketball from high school through the pros is getting to watch players develop every step of the way, and see how my/our projections pan out. When I saw Kevin Durant play in high school, to be honest, I had my doubts. Not doubts about making the League or anything, especially because the scoring was obvious then, but his skinniness drove me to distraction and I could not project NBA greatness for him.
I was impressed like everyone else when I saw what Kevin did at Texas, but I still struggled to see supers om (as usual, Aggrey knew better than me). By the time Oden v Durant came around, I was calling Durant a “future all-star,” but liked GO more (just check my comment on that Lang Link I just linked to). I thought his best-case scenario was to be the next T-Mac…
Today, nice as Mac was when healthy, I’m ready to call that career arc disappointing for Durant. I’m now firmly in the camp of: this guy barely has a ceiling. To the point that in this poll, I voted Durant 5th (I went: 1-LeBron, 2-Kobe, 3-Dwyane Wade, 4-Chris Paul), and I’m happily sacrificing my first-round pick in fantasy basketball to “keep” him after the promise he showed last season.
What’s the big deal with this guy that, honestly, few fans outside of Seattle or Oklahoma City have seen play more than a handful of times? Obviously the scoring ability is paramount. This 6-9, 230-pounder has the height, shooting touch, skills and mentality to be a 30+-ppg scorer this season. Talk to me about “defense winning championships” till your blue in the face; only a handful of guys on the planet can dream of scoring 30+ per game in the NBA. The rest of his game needs work, but at 6-9 with long arms and great instincts, I see no reason his rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game won’t all improve this season (KD averaged 6.5, 2.8, 1.3 and 0.7, respectively, in these categories last year). I’m also not feeling the “he’s a horrendous defender” angle, as though he’s been in the League 10 years and we know how what his prime will be like in any part of the game. Kid just turned 21. Think he can’t work his way into being, at worst, an average defender? Come on.
Knowing this piece was due soon, and because of his aforementioned status on my fantasy team, I’ve had Durant on the brain for the past couple weeks. To that end, I liked seeing John Hollinger, a voice I trust more often than not, project Durant as fifth in the League in PER this season.
I also enjoyed the New York Times’ Jonathan Abrams portrait of a humble young man about to become an NBA superstar while playing in a city where he often goes unrecognized.
I did not really enjoy the controversy surrounding the TrueHoop-inspired debate about his value in relation to his +/-, primarily because of the same reasons I defended his defense: it’s too early. Kevin Durant has been the best player, and played the most minutes, on a terrible team for two years running. Now that he has learned the game more, and the talent around him has grown as well, I expect the Thunder to improve, and all of Kevin’s relevant stats to as well.
While it wasn’t part of my criteria in voting “Baby Ice” to be the 5th best player in the NBA this season, I would also like to add for sake of this post that he may rank No. 1 in the most fascinating player to watch this season contest. Think about it: we know what Kobe can do. LeBron and Shaq make the Cavs the team to watch, in my opinion, but we know what those dudes can do individually. Same with most of the other top talents in the League. The one guy who could go from “great young player” to All-NBA this season is Mr. Kevin Durant. He won’t simply be handed the accolades, however. Defenders will be coming after him. Coaches will be scheming against him. Media members will keep looking for blemishes.
Can Kevin Durant attack those who wish to stop him and thrill those now creating all his buzz? Having seen a skinny high school kid I worried didn’t have what it took grow into a young man with the ability and confidence to score on anyone in the world, I say yes.
Notes
• Rankings are based solely on projected ‘09-10 performance.
• Want more of the SLAMonline Top 50? Check out the archive
Good find..and I love Durant...but I think ranking the NBA's best players based on projected performance is ignorant. Not directed at you, Duncan228...directed at SLAM.
Like you 92120, I think Durant is a bad mofo. But ranking him ahead of a guy like Dirk is a bit of a stretch.
I do believe he''ll be a Top 5 player soon but not just yet.
1)be a really good player who shows tremendous upside
2)not prove anything other than nobody can stop you from scoring
3) play on a bad team and pad stats
4)be ranked in the top 10
Durant may pass Dirk this year, and will do it eventually since he's 10 years younger... but it's ing ridiculous to suggest he's better than Dirk based on last season.
The stats are adjusted for lineups and all that stuff. It's not a case of him being on the floor against other team's starters and his teammates playing against second units. I'm a huge KD fan, and I think he WILL become a franchise player, but up to this point they are a way better defensive team when he sits, and they are more efficient offensively when he's on the bench. He takes too many contested shots on offense and he hasn't learned yet how to guard the p'n'r.I did not really enjoy the controversy surrounding the TrueHoop-inspired debate about his value in relation to his +/-, primarily because of the same reasons I defended his defense: it’s too early. Kevin Durant has been the best player, and played the most minutes, on a terrible team for two years running. Now that he has learned the game more, and the talent around him has grown as well, I expect the Zombie Sonics to improve, and all of Kevin’s relevant stats to as well.
Again, by April we may all be in agreement that he's better than Dirk, one day of course he will be, but it's so ing stupid to rank him ahead of the Big German now.
Disagree with the rankings all you want, but you shouldn't criticize someone for something they're not doing.
Those rankings specifically state...
It's a prediction of this upcoming year, a forecast. The guy thinks Durant will be the 8th best player this upcoming year. It's not based on last season.• Rankings are based solely on projected ‘09-10 performance.
Then it's a total crapshoot.
IMO, it'd be stupid to project him as a better overall player than Dirk next season. Regardless of age, potential, talent, etc., Dirk was 1st all NBA last year, Durant wasn't on any team.
Predictions usually are. You yourself said Durant could be the better player next season, come April. This guy is just showing more conviction about it.
Durant is definitely a top 20 player, maybe even top 15. And by 2011, I firmly expect him to be ensconced in the top 10. I think people are just tantalized by how bright the future is for the Zombie Sonics based on how much young talent they have. They'll be lucky to win 35 games this year.
Fair enough.
They were my sleeper pick to be good this year, but now I think all the hype and expectations will go to their head. They're no longer a sleeper since every single NBA fan picked them as a sleeper.
I just don't think they're that good yet. They won 23 games last year and added James Harden.
The Grizzlies have an outside shot (and by outside I mean over the river and through the woods) at the playoffs.
And Serge Ibaka you stupid ringless Mav fan
1 ring, got (I didn't create this policy, Lakerfan did. They say the LA Lakers have 15 rings, so I get to say the Thunder have 1 ring).
Being the 8th best player in the league and playing on a team that loses more than 50 games are mutually exclusive. Dumb list.
The Zombie Sonics don't have any championships. The Seattle SuperSonics had 1.
Better than being the worst player on an overrated team thats ceiling is the first round, o Mr. Oden
The LA Lakers don't have 15 championships. The Minneapolis Lakers have 5 championships, and the LA Lakers have 10. Nevertheless, guzzling sissy cuckolds like Culburn369 talk about 15 rings. Therefore, I get to talk about 1 ring
got.
You're a fan of the Methlahoma Zombie Sonics, that's punishment enough.
Yeah but at least we have a ring, all you Dallas s have is choking German and a gay quarterback.
wrong . nba ruled that OKC will get to have the sonic history, but seattle keep the name and logo
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