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
