A slim 6'10 small forward out of the University of Texas coming into the league was exciting for the NBA world. Imagine the size of a center, the smoothness of a guard, and the ability to make shots at will; that’s what Kevin Durant was. Picked #2 overall, behind Greg Oden, Kevin Durant was a talent that was never seen before. He had everything in-store and more; could shoot over any defender, makes shots effortlessly (65% FG% in High School, 51% in College), has guard-like handles, and has great passing ability & range. Couple that with great rim protection, and great defensive potential (over a 7'5 wingspan), and you have a player that is destined for greatness. His numbers and accolades at UTexas proved this, averaging 25 points on 51% shooting with 4 stocks and 11 rebounds per game got him an NCAA All-American first-team selection and a unanimous NCAA Player of the Year award; this all happened while KD was a freshman. Even though KD was this promising at just 19 years old, people still had their doubts. He didn’t have good perimeter defense, and while he was using his stature effectively on offense, many believed it was the opposite on defense. There was also inconsistency in large parts of his game, such as his playmaking. The criticism KD faced the most, though, was his thin-stature and if it would hold up in the NBA. Many people believed he should bulk up for him to not be easily dominated, and it would improve a large part of his defense. Regardless, the Seattle SuperSonics gambled on the 19-year-old in hopes of competing shortly after the end of the decade.
Life in the NBA
Playing primarily as a shooting guard in his rookie year, Durant had a lot to prove coming into his first year in the NBA. And he didn’t disappoint, here are some of his best games during his rookie year:
VS Denver Nuggets (G1)
On the 31st of October 2007, Durant made his debut in the NBA. He didn’t disappoint showing glimpses of what was to come. He had 4 steals that night, coupled with 18 points. While he had bad efficiency, he had shown the world what he was capable of if given more experience.
VS Phoenix Suns (G2)
On his 2nd NBA night, Durant put up 27 points in a great showing of pure scoring ability. While he had some bad turnovers, and showed a lot to be desired in terms of his handles, the NBA world was convinced he would be great. He showed decent efficiency, scoring-wise, knocking down 48% of his shots, and 33% from behind the arc. He was most definitely a player that could blossom into an elite shot-maker.
VS Milwaukee Bucks (G20)
After some experience, Durant showed out vs Milwaukee demonstrating every part of his game. He had 35 points, which tied his career-high which he set vs the Indiana Pacers. The difference between both games was Durant’s maturity. He didn’t put a foot wrong vs Milwaukee, while vs the Pacers he made some rookie mistakes such as having 7 turnovers, nevertheless, he spearheaded the SuperSonics to a win in both games. Against Milwaukee, Durant showcased his defensive presence having 5 blocks, and 8 rebounds. While he showed the same efficiency as before, he started taking more shots, which shows that he was improving his efficiency as time goes on. He also showed how well of a foul-getter he could become, he got 16 free throws and made 15 of them, it was a sign of things to come as Durant is now known as one of the most efficient free throw shooters.
At the end of the season, Durant started blossoming. He started putting up efficient numbers while also scoring very high. He also had a way more convincing presence on defense, which would help spearhead a lackluster Seattle team to some wins along the way. His averages in his last 12 games (G69–G80) were 24.3 points on 48.5% shooting, 33.3 from 3 and 85% from the line; 0.9 steals; 0.8 blocks; 3.3 assists with 2.3 turnovers; 6.2 rebounds. Some of his best games late season were:
VS Portland (G69)
This was Durant’s most efficient night during that time, putting up 23 points on 69% shooting and 50% from behind the arc, he fully displayed what he was capable of by also putting up 9 rebounds. He also put up 3 steals and only had 1 turnover, which for a rookie star is a good night in terms of efficiency. The matchup also sparked the ever-lasting debate during that season: Durant or Oden, who should’ve gone first. At that point, Oden was injured, and Durant was winning the debate pretty convincingly. Unfortunately, the footage is limited in terms of the 2007 season, so there is no highlight reel for KD for this game. Here are some of the game’s highlights:
VS Denver Nuggets (G75)
During the season, the Denver Nuggets had won vs the Seattle SuperSonic by over 50 points. It was one of the most embarrassing defeats and you can find videos of it everywhere. After that, Seattle would meet Denver in the 75th game of the season with something to prove. Durant had a great outing, putting up 37 points (career-high), and 9 assists, completely showing his potential as a playmaker. He also had 3 steals and 8 rebounds, although his turnovers were high at 5, his assist-to-turnover ratio was still not bad with it being almost 2 assists for every turnover. Durant showcased his clutch gene, which would become an integral part of his game later in his career. He scored a game-tying 3 with just 25 seconds left in the 4th and then played great defense on Carmelo Anthony in the dying seconds to send the game to overtime. Later in overtime, Durant does the same thing with him hitting a game-tying 3 to send the game to double OT. SuperSonics finished off the job in 2OT.
VS Golden State Warriors (G80)
At the end of the season, Durant showed up in the Bay. He showed up with by far his best outing this season, in terms of everything. He had 43 points (career-high), 13 rebounds (career-high), 6 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. While also having great efficiency with Durant going 72% from the field from 25 field goals attempted. The only negative in this performance was Durant having 5 turnovers, nonetheless, Seattle sealed off the day with another win. This game demonstrated what Durant has shown all season, his immense scoring ability, his ever-improving defense, and his ability to perform when the lights shined the brightest.
Durant’s rookie campaign is one to be remembered, and his progress throughout the season is clear; his improvement as a rookie was massive. He convincingly won Rookie of the Year, and while some believed his efficiency was a diminishing factor in his season, many realized the potential Durant had. He would end the season with averages of 20.3 PPG, 2.3 APG, and 4.4 RPG.
