Durantula’s Growing New Legs
Everyone knows that Kevin Durant can fill the bucket, in fact he already has two scoring titles to prove it. This year, however, his most attention grabbing statistics have appeared in the rebounding column, and the blossoming of his big man game is resulting in victories the Thunder.
Durant is currently averaging eight rebounds a game, already one better then last season, and that number is on the rise as of late. In his past 12 games, KD is pulling down an average of 10 boards a night, including four games in that stretch with 13 or more. And it’s no coincidence that Oklahoma City has won 10 of those 12 games.
At just 23-years-old, Durant has already achieved more then most will in their entire careers. Next to the scoring titles, his resume boasts a Rookie of the Year award, two All-Star games and a pair of All-NBA First Team selections. Not to mention his plethora of Collegiate awards. Yet, for all his talent and everything that he’s already achieved, it appears that Kevin Durant is just now getting started.
Coming out of Texas, Durant entered the NBA listed at 6-9, 215 pounds. But after some extensive workouts during the prolonged off season, he entered this 2012 campaign a full 20 pounds stronger, and it’s showing in the post. Already benefitting from his freakish 7’5 wingspan, that extra weight is adding a new dynamic to Durant’s game, one that may prove he is well on his way to becoming unstoppable. If there was ever a knock on the lanky swingman, it was that he was too soft on both ends of the court. On the offensive side, Durant’s rail thin body, coupled with his propensity for the outside shot almost always lead to a reliance on jumpers. When finally attacking the basket, he would often shy away from contact and look to finish with agility in lue of strength. On the defensive end, his ability was frequently described as “lax”.
But the new and improved Durant, that we see today, attacks the front-court with a confident rage, regularly throwing down rim shaking dunks and tearing rebounds away from opposing centers. In addition to the squeaky clean glass that KD’s been leaving in his wake, his shot block totals reaching new heights as well, swatting almost two shots per game. And with each board or block, his game matures.
There have been reports over the past two or three years that Durant’s body was still growing, citing something about a rare case of partially unfused growth plates. Now, I’m no doctor, so I can’t speak to that, but what I do know is that KD looks bigger, stronger and faster. Whether or not his body is growing, his game certainly is. And for a player of his already unparalleled skill set, it’s amazing to think that perhaps he hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface of his ability.
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