Sunday, August 26th, 2012 at 11:18 am  |  298 responses

Kevin Durant: ‘I Think I’m Established Now. My Time is Now’


Kevin Durant had quite the year—he led the NBA in scoring, made an NBA Finals appearance, won Olympic gold, etc. All of which, you’d think, would have some people saying it’s finally KD’s time to step up and win a couple chips, but from the sounds of it, people are still hitting the forward with the “You’re the future” speech…and Durant isn’t having it. Per the Washington Post: “Back home in Washington for a brief reprieve to promote and premiere for family and friends his feature film debut, ‘Thunderstruck,’ Durant also wanted to let it be known that while he won’t turn 24 until late September, the Oklahoma City all-star forward considers himself too much of an essential element of the NBA’s present to be clumped into discussions about its future. ’I’ve heard a few times, in three or four years, this league is going to be yours. . . . I don’t like that. Because I think I’m established now. My time is now,’ Durant said. ‘I feel as though I’ve proved myself these last five years that I can be one of the top players in the league. I’ve got a long way to go to being the ultimate best, but I think my time is now. And I’m starting to enter my prime.’ Durant explained that he felt he belonged in the discussion of the league’s best since playing in the 2011 All-Star Game in Los Angeles but has mostly kept that sentiment bottled up, because, ‘I don’t like to talk about myself, but I had to get that out there.’ He probably felt a bit more comfortable after a dominant run this summer for the U.S. Men’s National Team, capped off by his 30-point outburst in the closely contested gold medal victory against Spain. Durant led the team — which featured nine all-stars, including two Finals MVPs and regular season MVPs in Kobe Bryantand LeBron James — in scoring at 19.5 points and set a new American men’s record for most points scored in an Olympic tournament with 156.”

  • Add a Comment
  • Share
  • RSS

Tags:

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →
  • http://Slamonline.com Black Mamba

    The celtics used KG who filled in at center this year and was dominant

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    The Celtics defense was anchored by Garnett and Perkins all season. The major part of their great defense was Garnett and Perkins. Everyone talked about it all season and after the Finals. Without Perkins, the defense and rebounding suffered in Game 7. Plenty of folks have acknowledged the fact that with Perkins and that starting 5 in tact, that Celtics team never lost a playoff series. The only series they lost was when Garnett was hurt in 09 and the Magic beat them and the next season without Perkins in that Game 7 when the Lakers beat them. But I can see how a person who’s a blind loyalist to Kobe would fail to see it. Anything to make sure your guy looks great regardless of the facts that are plainly present. Pretty pointless on your part to talk about KG playing center this year when the season that’s being discussed is two seasons ago. What this past year has to do with two years ago, I don’t know. You’ll have to explain the relevancy of that to me.

  • http://www.newyorkshockexchange.com Shock Exchange

    Whatever success the Lakers have had recently has been “in spite of” Horry Jr, not because of him. That’s why the streets is saying that the Lakers’ biggest hurdle is the “Horry Jr Differential,” – the talent required to overcome Horry Jr’s poor shot selection, poor decision-making and overall selfishness.

  • http://Slamonline.com Black Mamba

    You brought up the Perkins thing not me. The seed is the only guy makin sense!

  • http://Slamonline.com Black Mamba

    Shut up Shock Exchange. I’m having enough trouble with these clowns I don’t have time for your Horry Jr crap at the same ___ time.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    @Black Mamba Both you and The Seed haven’t made any sense. I brought up the Perkins factor because it’s real. With Perkins playing, chances are great that the Celtics would have won. Best defense in basketball that season misses one of its anchors and folks think it was no big deal.

  • http://www.newyorkshockexchange.com Shock Exchange

    Black Garden Snake, The Shock Exchange is only repeating what the streets is saying … Don’t shoot the messenger.

  • RKJ92

    I can’t believe I’m gonna say this but.. cosign the shock exchange :-|

  • http://Slamonline.com Black Mamba

    I dont care. Kobe’s team last year was significantly worse than Wade’s. Saying wade is better is just dumb. But saying for the past four years that he’s been better is insane.

  • npa

    OKC will be beating LA on the playoffs

  • http://Roosterteeth.com Caboose

    Black Mamba and Seed are why I hate Kobe talk. Honest question, for both of you, what stats do you realiistically see Kobe putting up next year. If you say 29-5-6 on 49% shooting, I utterly give up.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Black Mamba now sounds like a 12 year old. “I don’t care”. “Saying Wade is better is just dumb”. The equivalent to taking your ball and going home lol

  • Justin05

    Top 10 list with 5 minutes left in the game:

    1. L. James
    2. K. Bryant
    3. K. Durant
    4. C. Paul
    5. D. Wade
    6. C. Anthony
    7. D. Howard
    8. D. Williams
    9. R. Westbrook
    10. P. Pierce

    And the last 5 minutes are all that matters if you are close to your opponent. The teams w/ 2 guys on this list will be in contention for a Championship next year. 1 and 2 are a hint at the Finals and I always root for the underdog

  • http://Slamonline.com Black Mamba

    I see 20 and five. Maybe 18 and five.

  • Justin05

    I think Kobe will avg. 21-4-5 on 47%. Rbs and Asts are irrelevant. His scoring will go down considerably but I think his fg percent will actually rise because of his new role. The black mamba! Now he’ll strike you when you are least expecting it!

  • http://Roosterteeth.com Caboose

    Exactly, so why would 20 and 5 put him in the top 10 in the league? That’s Kevin Martin level. My little list was about where I projected Kobe: outside the top 10. And you just agreed! So nice one there.

  • http://www.slamonline.com nbk

    Wade is and has been better than Kobe. Someone with the name Black Manba saying its dumb means less than nothing.

  • http://Slamonline.com Black Mamba

    An average does not mean he gets 20 every night. That could be 24 points or 26 occasionally.

  • http://Roosterteeth.com Caboose

    …..That may be the dumbest thing I’ve ever read on Slam.

  • Justin05

    Let’s just end this debate right here. In a game of 1 on 1 Kobe will beat Wade 4/5 times. No question.

  • http://Slamonline.com Black Mamba

    Kobe is top ten! Ask anybody from ESPN. This is exhausting

  • http://Slamonline.com Black Mamba
  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    No way in the world Carmelo Anthony is above Dwight Howard. Or Kobe at 2 at this point in his career. Or Paul Pierce in a top 10. Someone needs to mention Kevin Love, the best PF in basketball. I forgot about him myself. I haven’t seen him on anyone’s list. Given everyone is fully healthy:
    1. LeBron (most dominant player, great defender, great passer, consistent jumpshot, improving postgame, too strong and fast for everyone)
    2. Durant (best scorer, improving rebounder, needs to improve defense and passing ability)
    3. Dwight (shot blocker, game changer on defense, improving postgame, playing now with a great PG)
    4. CP3 (best PG in basketball, capable of playing on any team in any system, good shooter, heart of an assassin, best player at or under 6’0 since AI)
    5. Wade (great scorer, good defender, above average playmaker)
    6. Deron Williams (same as Chris Paul except bigger/stronger, maybe a better shooter)
    7. D-Rose (explosive, finishes better than any guard in basketball, improving jumpshot, above average vision, good passer)
    8. Rondo (best vision/passing ability in basketball, rebounds better than any guard, good defender, needs to improve jumpshot)
    9. Westbrook (as explosive as D-Rose but doesn’t finish at the basketball as well as Rose does, needs to improve decision-making, only been playing PG for 4 seasons, potential to be a great defender)
    10. Kevin Love (best PF in basketball, great shooter, best rebounder in basketball)
    The next level of guys include Blake Griffin, Carmelo Anthony, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Bosh, Amar’e Stoudemire and Pau Gasol. Guys who have one superstar quality, but don’t do multiple things on a superstar level. All that Blake needs to do is develop a better offensive skillset. Melo only scores consistently, doesn’t do anything else. Dirk is the same way. Bosh is tricky because he’s a 20 and 10 guy playing on a team that doesn’t require him to do that. Gasol is the same although if he had more opportunities he’d be a 20/10 guy. STAT doesn’t rebound the way he should.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    “An average does not mean he gets 20 every night”….After you said you think he’ll average 20 and 5? 18 and 5? 24 or 26 points occasionally? Yet he’s better than D-Wade. So you think D-Wade will only average 17 and 4 this upcoming season? Wow….As for the idea that rebounds and assists don’t matter, they actually do matter. A lot. That’s why those of you arguing for Kobe so much sound ridiculous. The game is more than just scoring. The idea that if Kobe averages more points than Wade that makes him a better player? False.

  • http://Slamonline.com Black Mamba

    I’m done. Kevin Love and Rajon Rondo better than Kobe indicates that I’ve wasted my time today.

  • http://Slamonline.com Black Mamba

    Test test

  • Justin05

    Lol kobe haters on here. Just tune in come June everybody

  • http://Slamonline.com Black Mamba

    I’m done. The notion that Kevin Love and Rajon Rondo are in the top ten but Kobe isn’t indicates I’ve wasted my time here.

  • ByAnyMeansNecessary

    Basketball realists on here. Come June, if the Lakers are in the Finals, chances are great that it won’t be because Kobe is scoring 27 a night and shooting a good FG percentage. It will be because he’s doing what he should’ve been doing years ago. Allowing his star teammates to do what they do so that he can be fresh for the playoffs. And when the playoffs arrive, he won’t be shooting with multiple defenders on him. Nash will be running the team, getting everyone the ball, not just number 24. Pick and roll with Dwight and Pau. Kobe will be getting 23 or 24 a night shooting less shots.

  • http://Roosterteeth.com Caboose

    Why do Kobe fans like the ppg stat so much? It’s the only thing Kobe is still elite at.

  • http://Slamonline.com Kap

    Two people on both sides of an extreme cant call the other side ridiculous and uninformed. Lol. One side hates the guy and the other loves the guy. Kobe is still an elite player period. He’s definitely top 10 and arguably top 5. His method of play has worked bc he’s more accomplished than any other player.

  • CubicleWorker

    Not sure how this argument is going on. Kobe > Wade. Between LeBron and Wade usually 2/3 nights one of them doesn’t show up. Wade was playing terribly throughout the playoffs… talking 8 point games. Kobe has a lot more of a burden and a lot bigger load to carry than Wade. That part is undisputable. If Kobe takes a night off the Lakers lose. As good as Bynum could be he’s volatile and immature. Gasol was soft for most of the last two playoffs. Black Mamba is very right on his list of legends and championships. Kobe went to the finals three other times with no other hall of famers. Heat won with two (and CB1 would also be a HOF’er if heat win not one, not two, not three, not….)

  • CubicleWorker

    Also co-sign whoever said Dirk is under-rated. He absolutely DESTROYED the league in the 2011 playoffs. For people who didn’t watch his run was absolutely epic, inspiring and jaw dropping. Cuban gutted the team last year. Don’t count him out.

  • Rainman

    *cp3 is top 4, def top 5. If he can lead the clippers to a 55+ win season and the 3rd seed or higher out west, he may just sneak up with that mvp award. He’s that good.

    * Kobe is better than wade. Period. The playoffs proved that. Wade isn’t who he once was, kobe still kobe.

    Just some thoughts based off of the comments so far.

  • http://www.slamonline.com nbk

    Wade was hurt in the playoffs. All of you that keep using that as your reasoning behind your argument sous ignorant. You can’t devalue a players overall abilities because they were hurt. Especially those of you idiots who are devaluing Wade while saying Rose is still in the mix. That’s called hypocrisy.

  • http://Slamonline.com Kap

    He wasn’t hurt the playoffs prior to this one NBK. You know he was a no show against Chicago.

  • aim

    List
    Kobe
    Kobe
    Kobe
    Kobe
    Kobe
    Lebron
    Kobe
    Rondo
    Kobe
    Dwight

  • http://Slamonline.com Kap

    We need to take over these threads LA fans like the Miami folk did the last two seasons.

  • Rainman

    Also shout out to kap f*for giving ginobili the credit he deserves. Outside of kobe-wade, he’s been a top 3 SG.
    @rkj92: don’t put harden in that discussion ginobili doesn’t disappear in the playoffs. Ever. Not even with a broke forearm(on his shooting hand!!) Remember when he dropped 20 points a game with that injury on the grizz? Ya they lost. Cuz the spurs weren’t healthy, to no fault of ginobili’s cuz tim’s injury is what killed em.anyways, ginobili is a BEAST.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Redd

    I’d put JJ over Ginobilli heck eventually Brooks too. Ginobilli is nice and I’d take him over the former in the playoffs any day but in general Na. And yeah Lakers fans should be obnoxious fans who think they’ve won before they’ve started too.

  • http://www.slamonline.com nbk

    I didn’t say he wasn’t. But he shows up against Dallas and frankly played way ether than Kobe did against the same team. You can’t say “Kobe is enter than Wade because wade didn’t show up in the 2011 playoffs…even though he outplayed Kobe against te same team that swept him” – that’s ridiculous.

  • http://www.slamonline.com nbk

    Sorry autospell and not proffreading from my phone makes my comments look like they are coming from a drunk

  • http://www.xvideos.com nbk troll

    Kobe is better than wade is today by a tiny slim margin. Rondo deserves to be on top ten list due to accomplishments but is far from top ten talent in the league ( sounds crazy and like a oxymoron but true!) Dirk is certainly top ten, but gets racially profiled ( yeah I took it there) and slept on. Cp3 dwill westbrook are all Awesome, but NBA is a big man’s game and they are all easier to contain which is why they all are bottom of top ten. With that being said that is what makes d.rose so special. Kd is a freak of nature, he is like Dirk with handles and he will dunk on that dome. Dwight is defense and dunks on that dome, just too big too strong. KING JAMES is the best player in the universe….

  • SeanMagicJuan

    1. L. James
    2. K. Durant
    3. D. Howard
    4. D. Wade
    5. D. Rose
    6. K. Bryant
    7. R. Rondo
    8. D. Nowitski
    9. C. Anthony
    9. R. Westbrook
    10.

  • SeanMagicJuan

    1. L. James
    2. K. Durant
    3. D. Howard
    4. D. Wade
    5. D. Rose
    6. K. Bryant
    7. R. Rondo
    8. D. Nowitski
    9. C. Anthony
    10. R. Westbrook

  • http://Roosterteeth.com Caboose

    Let me introduce some logic to this:
    1. We are not debating career accomplishments. Dirk and Kobe have had great careers. So has Grant Hill. Don’t bring up things so far in the past to prove the present.
    2. While you can try to make a case for Kobe being better than Wade the past 3 years, it’s not a strong one as most (if not all) statistics are against you. Wade has been a better defender, creator, and a more efficient scorer.
    3. I will never respect Black Mamba from here on out. Sorry dude, but you’ve been pathetic.
    4. Lakers fans overvalue points per game, solely because it’s the one stat left that Kobe is elite in. Is Mo Williams a better point guard than Rondo because Mo scores more?
    5. From what I’ve seen, most people project Kobe to average in the range between 18-5-3 to 22-5-4. Kobe’s shooting percentage has never cracked 47%. Don’t expect it to go up, especially since he’s declined every year for the past 4.
    6. I say Kobe gets 21-5-4. That is not a top 10 player. Those are the stats Tyreke Evans had his rookie year and I know we didn’t consider him top 10 in the league.
    7. Kobe fans will point to his intangibles, clutchness, attitude, confidence, leadership, etc. Just stop. Tim Duncan outclasses Kobe in all of those, but I don’t hear anyone arguing he’s still the best power forward in the league.
    8. The only justification for placing Kobe in the top 5 in the league for NEXT YEAR is either believing he’ll increase his stats over last year, or valuing points per game (without FG%) as the sole important stat.
    I’ll gladly change my point of view if I’m presented with logical facts or stats, and not stuff from Kobe’s distant past. His two rings in ’09 and ’10 do not count for now; he’s moved past that era.

  • http://www.slamonline.com nbk

    You gotta realize most of you Kobe fans have made the argument that LeBron was overrated because he didn’t show up in the finals and now are arguing that Wade didn’t show up in the whole playoffs. You bashed LeBron while praising Wade about the finals, but now that Kobe is involved you use the reverse argument to make your point. Basically it looks like the Kobe crowd will use whatever argument suits the situation without resizing how hypocritical the premise is in the first place. Wade has been better during the regular season and playoffs when healthy. He played bad for 2 series in 2011, then murdered the team that swept Kobe and the reigning champion Lakers in the second round. If you look at the last 3 seasons + playoffs and compare the two players it’s clear who has been better. Especially if you even give a little bit of a sh*t about defense. Kobe scores more, because he shoots more. That Kobe scores better is really the only rational argument for the guy at this point. The 2012 playoffs proved little to nothing because Wade was hurt and still was the second best player on a championship team, and 2011 showed little between the two because although Wade played bad, he excelled against the very team that Swept Kobe and his Championship roster in the second round. So you have to look at te wealth of data over the last 3 years, which is definitely in Wades favor. Kobe is 34 going into his 17th season, if he was still better than a 30 year old Wade then he’d be a robot anyway. I’m sorry Kobe/Lakers fans, father time is an asshole.

  • http://Roosterteeth.com Caboose

    Beat you to the rational retort nbk haha.

  • http://www.slamonline.com nbk

    I know f*cker lol

  • http://www.stillonthebench.blogspot.com TR

    After LeBron, Durant and Howard as the top 3 everything is completely subjective. If Wade can bounce back from the injuries then I think we’ll be talking about him in that discussion of top 3-4 again. He was clearly hurt this year so I personally can’t wait to see if he gets back to his old self.

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →
Advertisement