What did the Suns’ Kevin Durant say about his coming debut?
In the same way that we’re all anxiously awaiting his first game for the Phoenix Suns, so too is the the team’s newest and probably biggest star, Kevin Durant.
It’s safe to say that the biggest story of the NBA’s trade period was Kevin Durant’ s move from the Brooklyn Nets to the Phoenix Suns. Now set to make his debut, it appears the superstar relishing the new opportunity that he has before him.
Kevin Durant is itching to make his Suns debut
On Wednesday night, Kevin Durant will officialize his blockbuster move to the Phoenix Suns, when he steps on the court for his debut. Arguably the best player of his generation, Durant was traded from the Brooklyn Nets ahead of the trade deadline back on February 9th. In his first game for the Suns he will be facing the Charlotte Hornets and it goes without saying we’re re all going to be watching. To be clear, Durant hasn’t played since he sustained an MCL sprain while playing with the Nets. On the other hand, following Tuesday’s shoot around the former league MVP was positive about his recovery.
Kevin Durant is expected to make his Suns debut tomorrow, the team announced 👀 pic.twitter.com/RMBkjVVsbu
— ESPN (@espn) February 28, 2023
“I feel great, I’m looking forward to getting this opportunity to play again, " Durant said. “It’s been a long time, I was having fun out there before I got injured, so I’m looking forward to going out there and picking up where I left off. I know it’s not going to be that smooth, its going to take me some time to get used to everything, but as far as just having fun and getting lost in the game, I’m looking forward to doing that again.”
Kevin Durant by the numbers
Let’s be real, prior to the injury Durant was playing as good as he ever has, which is to say like an MVP. With an average of 29.7 points per game, to go with 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists, there really wasn’t much that KD wasn’t doing. When looking at his efficiency, the point is even further cemented as he’s been on 55.9% from the field. That’s extremely good in case you’ re not sure. Yes, he is returning from a serious injury, but this is Kevin Durant we’re talking about.
Over the last 25 years there have only been 3 players in NBA history to shoot over 55% on mid-range shots (min 250 attempts).
— ilDurantiano (@frafou95MXer) February 20, 2023
Those players are:
Kevin Durant this season
Kevin Durant '21-'22 season
Kevin Durant '18-'19 season
Unarguably the best mid-range shooter of all time. https://t.co/pFY4i5wc8W pic.twitter.com/QfEF1pTEYV
Ultimately, the Suns who were already one of the league’s best teams, just got stronger and there is no debating that. While it’s true that they‘ve got off to a rocky start, it’s fair to say that Devin Booker’s injury has had something to do with that. Now, Booker is back and Durant has arrived . That’s all to say, that it’s highly likely we’re looking at title contenders.