"He reminds me of Kevin Durant" - 3x NBA champ reveals his favorite small forward while addressing one skill he needs to refine
In the modern NBA era, Kevin Durant is regarded as one of the most versatile and dominant players on the court.
LA Lakers legend James Worthy agreed with the statement when he spoke to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson on the latter's "Scoop B Radio" show on Friday. The NBA Hall of Famer picked Durant as his favorite small forward —past and present— while discussing why KD is underrated in an NBA world that includes LeBron James and Steph Curry.
“I’m a huge Kevin Durant fan. I don’t know whether he’s small or power [forward]. I think he does both. People don’t talk about his [abilities]. I mean we talk about Steph [Curry] and LeBron [James] but KD is an assassin. He can get it whenever he wants. He’s good on both ends.”
James Worthy talked about another small forward he admires, Brandon Ingram. Per Worthy, Ingram reminds him much of Durant, but the NBA legend wants to see the Toronto Raptors star refine his game and become a two-way player.
“He [Brandon Ingram] reminds me of Kevin Durant. With the height and the ability to score with people … if he could just be more of a two-way player on the other end, then he’s right there with Kevin Durant.”
Durant has faced his fair share of criticism, particularly with the way he moved from the OKC Thunder to the Golden State Warriors. However, his abilities as an elite hooper can’t be denied, as he recently joined the 30k points exclusive list.
According to some fans, Brandon Ingram has not lived up to his full potential but is still one of the league’s best small forwards. Having him compared to future Hall of Famer Durant might seem like a stretch, his playing style and physical attributes mirror the Phoenix Suns star.
This season, KD is averaging 27.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for the Phoenix Suns. Ingram on the other hand is averaging 22.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, and 5.2 apg.
"Hard times make you better": Kevin Durant opens up after Suns' fourth straight loss
After the NBA All-Star break, the Phoenix Suns lost in double-digits to the San Antonio Spurs. Kevin Durant spoke on Thursday at the end of the game about the team’s struggles.
"There's beauty in the struggle," Kevin Durant said. "It's beauty in all that stuff, especially when you come out on the other side of things and you realize that pressure and hard times make you better."
The Suns have had an underwhelming season so far. They sit 11th in the Western Conference with a 26-29 record. Durant and Phoenix must return to winning ways when they travel to Chicago to face the Bulls on Saturday night.