[jwplayer kBav5MVx]
Kevin Durant has had more than enough time to rehab his right Achilles. The Brooklyn Nets forward is ready to go whenever the 2020-21 NBA ends up starting.
But there are still some who are worried about how Durant will perform next season. It’s understandable, given the injury he suffered.
Still, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith isn’t at all concerned about how Durant will play. He explained why on his show, “First Take”:
He’s a career 27 points per game scorer, 49% shooting from the field, 38% from three-point range. This is not a guy — even though he is athletic, this is not a guy who has the success of his basketball career predicated on his athleticism. He is a marksman who happens to be 6-feet-11 with a 7(-foot-)6 wingspan who could pull up from 30 (feet). Anytime he wants, he could get his shot off without jumping. And that’s not to say he can’t jump, he doesn’t have to because that’s how lanky and tall this dude is. And he’s a sniper personified, make no mistake about it. I expect Kevin Durant to come back next year in his sleep, averaging 25 a game. The question is the chemistry that he’ll have with Kyrie Irving — and their new coach Steve Nash — but what I’m saying is as an individual, I have no reservations — and when I say none I mean zero. I have zero reservations about the individual greatness of Kevin Durant because his athleticism is not going to dictate his success. His marksmanship will ’cause he could shoot the basketball.