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Durant gets the call
by Todd Dybas / May 3, 2008

Finally some sunshine for the Seattle Sonics.

The news of the day was not relocation lawsuits. Not the arena problems. Not the losing of historic proportions.

When Kevin Durant received the rookie of the year award Thursday at a heavily promotional ceremony in Bellevue, WA, about 15 minutes east of Seattle, it was a time to put aside all the moribund feelings associated with a 20-win season. His mom, dad and grandmother joined a brother, a cousin and his agent, -- really, what other family is there? -- at the ceremony at T-Mobile headquarters.

Unlike the MVP, the rookie of the year award is distinctly an individual honor. Durant said afterward he thought Horford or Houston's Luis Scola would win because their teams made the playoffs. But Durant dominated the voting, proving again team success is not a large part of the equation for rookie recognition.

It's possible no other first-year NBA player has ever endured as much. Durant joined a team with a new coach, a new general manager, a new owner and a predominantly new roster. The possibility of relocation loomed over the entire season. Sam Presti reworked the roster at the beginning and in the middle of the season, sending Seattle's few reliable players to playoff contenders in exchange for salary cap relief and draft picks. Durant was left as the team's focal point.

His name was on dry-erase boards in the opponents' lockerroom. He was the only Sonic visiting media asked or talked about. Universally, the opponent's view of Durant was the same: he's good now, but just wait.

"Love him, love him," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said after Durant scored 25 against Boston Dec. 25. "He's a terrific player, plays with great passion, is a shot-maker and is going to be a great player. Not a good player, a great player. Just let him grow up."

Even though he handled Durant in each meeting, Kobe Bryant came away with a similar opinion.

"I see a player that is very talented," Bryant said. "Obviously his first year is an adjustment period for him. I think the key for him is to work hard every day and get better. He just needs to continue to grow at his own pace."

The pace picked up in the second half of the season. Durant shot 47 percent from the field after the All-Star break. A key contributor to the percentage going up was his 3-point attempts going down. He finished the season averaging 20.3 points, and shot 43 percent from the field, better than LeBron James' 41.7 percent when he was named rookie of the year in 2003-04.

George Gervin, who was assigned to mentor Durant and is the player the rookie is most compared to, said he has no problem with the label.

"I think it's a pretty legitimate comparison," Gervin, a Hall of Famer who scored over 26,000 points, said back in December. "The kid shows signs of brilliance at times. Potential wise, he's got a big-time upside."

Questions coming into the season revolved around Durant's strength and position. PJ Carlesimo played him at shooting guard from outset, adding further complications year one. Durant had never played shooting guard before, let alone dealt with the defensive assignments that came with it. On back-to-backs, he would guard Baron Davis one night, Allen Iverson the next. His versatility and effort allowed Carlesimo to play him against Steve Nash, and have him front Dwight Howard. He also dealt with Bryant.

But a shooting guard he was. He put up shots, lots of shots. Durant made some choices that eventually grated on the veterans. Though later in the season Durant curtailed his attempts, making mid-range jump shots is weapon of choice. His height and length allowed him to get it off conveniently against most defenders.

Coming out of the pre-draft camp, Durant was ridiculed for his poor performance in the bench press. He did not appear to gain any significant weight during the season, allowing opponents to bump him off balance on drives, and post him up. But he played 80 games, missing one with the flu, and another with an injured finger.

With the challenge of wading through the Western Conference mainly on him, Durant could have used a helping hand. In town with the Celtics mid-winter, former Sonics star Ray Allen lamented what could have been. Thinking back to the summer, he kept referring to June 28 as "Trade Day," though it was Draft Day. That Thursday the Sonics moved Allen and predictably drafted Durant. Two weeks later, Rashard Lewis was sent to Orlando in a sign-and-trade deal. The franchise's two best players out in a fortnight. Curiosity spurred when considering an Allen, Lewis, Durant troika ended.

"I think having me and Rashard in the fold would have made it so much easier on Durant," Allen said. "He would have had two guys to learn from. You take your bumps and bruises in your rookie year."

With expectations high, Sonics analyst Steve "Snapper" Jones proved prescient. Just five games into the season he talked about the adjustments Durant would have to make, ones he eventually did.

"There is no question he is going to be a great, great player," Jones said. "You don't see guys that long who can rebound, dribble, pass and shoot. He's a complete player. Now it's just learning how to play against the best players.

"When he starts to get good, and his percentage is higher, you're going to go to that category that he's unstoppable. That's where he's heading, and those that are playing against him are trying to make the progress just a little bit slower."

He scored a season-high 42 points on 18-for-25 shooting against Golden State to close the season. His 13 rebounds that game resulted in his first double-double.

Now it's on to the summer. Durant says he will be trying to add strength, polish post moves, and improve his ball handling.

Yet Durant will have another challenge waiting for him. He's going to meet with Gervin down in Texas, where the Iceman plans to show the youngster how he rolls.

"As much as I've seen him play, he hasn't showed me that roll yet," Gervin said. "So, maybe this summer when we get together, I can kind of let him know who's really the finger roller."

Todd Dybas is a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com

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