So, There's This Kid in Seattle

His name is Kevin Durant. Maybe you've heard of him. You know, the 18 year old 6 foot 9 string bean that plays basketball? The collegiate player of the year? The first freshman to ever win it, ever? The number two pick in the '07 NBA draft?


Well, on Halloween, he played his first NBA game in Denver against a playoff team with two superstars and the defending defensive player of the year. He looked like a dear in the headlights. He shot a miserable 9-29 (.286) from the field and had 18 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block in 33 minutes.


This wasn't his first college game, scoring 20 points in 22 minutes against Alcorn State. Back then he wasn't being PAID to play. It was still just a game, and not his job.


He looked scared. He should have been. I mean, it's a big deal to be the number 2 player taken out of every single available person for the league. All eyes are on him, with the #1 pick, Greg Oden out for the year. It's a big deal to be 18 years old and playing for a 4 million dollar paycheck. It's a big deal to have to perform in order to keep those endorsement deals coming in.


Since that first game, he hasn't been on TV, so my judgements are based on the highlights only. But he's changed that look. He looks like it clicked for him. It looks like someone told him, "hey bruh..it's still only basketball."


His scoring has gone up to 24 points a game, he's averaging 6 rebounds a game, and his shooting percentage has increased in every game this year. The Sonics are still winless, but they only lost to 7 to the Suns, which shows hope. They are one of the youngest teams in the league. The team average in age is the same as the starting five, which is only 25. Durant, the team's leader in points per game, is 7 years away from that. Which is scary. Stupid scary.


The team is going nowhere but up. It's oldest starter is 28. They play in the west, which is, of course, the stronger of the confrences. They probably won't amount to much this year. But building a franchise isn't a one year deal. Ask the Bulls. They are currently building a franchise. That is, if they dont trade their investments for Kobe Bryant. That's not smart business, and is another topic in itself. If you put the right pieces together and let them mold, you will build a product that competitive season in and season out. Which the Sonics have the players to accomplish in a couple years.


I don't want to do an entire blog on the Bulls/Kobe thing, so I'll just throw it in down here. The Bulls would be stupid to trade for Kobe. The Lakers won't accept less than Ben Gordon and/or Luol Deng and number of other young talent. That doesn't make sense for the Bulls. If you look at these players like stock, it's selling your stocks that have unlimited potential low to get one high stock, that can't get much higher.

The pieces of the puzzle you'll have to give up to get Bryant would leave you atop the east, but without the depth or fire power to compete with the top teams in the west. Without being able to compete with them, you are unable to beat them. Which means no trophy. Which means you blew your future for nothing.