NBA Rookie sensation, Seattle Supersonics F Kevin Durant, has been tough to own in fantasy this season. Most rookies wrestle with inconsistency, but the 2007 consensus national player of the year and the first freshman to ever win the Naismith and Wooden awards was expected to be a more productive then he in his inaugural season.
Yes, he is on a team loaded with young talent, the centerpiece of an offense, but which also makes him the centerpiece of opposing team's nightly defense strategy. But the most worrying fact is that he has essentially failed to utilize one of his greatest assets to help him get on track when his perimeter shot isn't falling (which has been quite often): attacking the basket with his 7-foot-4 wingspan.
In 17 of 36 games this season, Durant has shot 35 percent or worse from the field. Some blame that on the fact that he's playing shooting guard, but that's a poor excuse. There are plenty of 2s in the NBA that utilize their strength, length, or both, in the post because it gives them their best chance for a high-percentage shot.
Even if his lack of strength is getting him pushed off the block, there is no one that guards him, that should ever get a piece of one of his turnaround jumpers, jump hooks in the lane or fadeaways along the baseline. His game is more diverse than he's shown thus far, which is what has been the biggest disappointment.
Even more disappointing, and even embarassing, Durant grabbed fewer than six rebounds just once during his one season in Austin, which spanned 35 games. In his first NBA season, he's grabbing only 4.2 boards per night in 33.3 minutes. Even more emabarssing, New York Knicks' 5-foot-9 guard Nate Robinson, has OUT rebounded Durant on the offensive glass this, 26-22, in 459 fewer minutes!
There's no question Durant will get better, as he better understands how teams are defending him and makes the proper adjustments. But until then, he is a player who can hurt your team more than he helps it.
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