Five Questions: Kevin Durant

by Dave on Dec 25, 2007 10:21 PM PST in News

You knew if the Sonics were coming to town there was only one guy that Blazersedge correspondent Ben Golliver was going to tab for Five Questions. So here you go...a chat with Kevin Durant.

Blazers Edge: Have you followed the Blazers success so far this season?

Yea I have. Who can't. They're playing very well. They've won 10 straight. Everybody wrote them off earlier in the year and said they weren't going to be that good. But they proved people wrong, playing hard every game. Hopefully we come in tonight and stop their winning streak.

BlazersEdge: Have you given any speculation at all about thinking how you would fit into that lineup given that, you know, some people were saying you might be the number one pick?

I mean I really don't know man. That's a great team over there we playing. We got a lot of respect for them. I guess we gone never going see how I would fit in that lineup. You know. But uh, like I said, they're a great team. Glad I'm in the position I'm in with the Sonics. This year we're getting better and hopefully we can come out and get the "w" tonight.

BlazersEdge: I saw you out there shaking hands with Kevin Pritchard [prior to the game]. What was that conversation like?

He just said "congratulations" and you know "keep playing hard." I got to know him a little bit going through this draft process, coming up here working out... they had the number one pick, I came up, worked out for him, went to go out eat dinner and things like that, so I got to know him a little bit, he's a great guy.

BlazersEdge: Talk to me about that whole combine process and how that evaluation process works. Do you think that's a fair judge of people's basketball IQ as well as raw skills or do you think that maybe something gets lost in the whole combine evaluation?

I mean, I think the camp, whoever is playing in the camp, is who is fitted for it, guys who are trying to get noticed by NBA teams. I think one player, Jared Dudley, people after the season said he was a second round pick, and he played well at that camp, he was a first round pick. I think that's what it's really for. See what guys weigh, their height. As far as guys not playing, I really don't think it means too much, as far as the weightlifting and things like that.

BlazersEdge: Absolutely. You know, big moment here obviously in Portland was when Greg Oden went down. Did you give him a call when he went down? Did you say anything to him during that time period?

I did. I did. I talked to him and just told him to keep his head up. Everything happens for a reason. That's what I really told him. He came out, he's working hard, he's getting bigger and stronger each day. From what I hear.

BlazersEdge: Yea, he's huge.

I know next year he's gonna come out and play hard and better.

Thanks to Ben. Game report is coming soon.

--Dave

P.S. Here is a link to the full text of the interview, with audio. Link

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Wow, what a boring answer Kevin

"But uh, like I said, they're a great team. Glad I'm in the position I'm in with the Sonics. This year we're getting better and hopefully we can come out and get the "w" tonight."

Can we geta little more originality here Kevin?

Holding down the Blazer fort down in California...

by Devyn on Dec 25, 2007 10:28 PM PST reply actions

Hey give him credit

for consenting to an interview and credit to Ben for hitting the "street" first with an interview!

by lee3022 on Dec 25, 2007 10:37 PM PST reply actions

Yeah: kudos to both Durant and Ben

"Ime caught the guy in mid-air with a fist and calmly continued his dispatching of oncoming people." -Gabe Muoneke

by hurryup09 on Dec 25, 2007 10:38 PM PST reply actions

yeah, durant is in

an awkward position. seeing the blazers win without oden while hes on a bad team that might end up in oklahoma....wow, that would be tough. if he was on portland he'd plug right in, and probably show more aspects of his game without the pressure to shoot the lights out every night.

so i feel a bit sorry for him.

at the same time, don't get me wrong, i would rather have greg oden -- who i think will score more and get in less foul trouble than most people think. the blazers definitely need him in order to be truly a dominant, awe-inspiring team.

ignacio

by ignacio on Dec 25, 2007 11:44 PM PST reply actions

I agree

Everything that is going on in Seattle sucks for the NBA, the team, and the fans. I really hope that NO moves to OKC and the owners of Seattle will be like "WTF, what do we do now?" I don't think the NO fan base can support a team that plays that many games in a season.

Happy Holidays and Mele Kalikimaka!

by tominhawaii on Dec 26, 2007 11:29 AM PST up reply actions