Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford served as a consultant for the Brooklyn Nets last season. During that time, he had an opportunity to work with the former league MVP Kevin Durant, who happens to be in line to make his Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against Clifford's Hornets.

Clifford had nothing but good things to say about KD. Having had the opportunity to coach him and see his work ethic, Clifford shed light on just how special Durant truly is:

“He's the best,” Clifford said. “… He also really cares about how the team plays. He's a good teammate. He's a really, really special guy and obviously a phenomenal player.”

The Hornets will obviously have their hands full with Kevin Durant and the rest of the Suns on Wednesday. The fact that they won't be with star point guard LaMelo Ball, who was recently ruled out for the rest of the season due to a foot injury, will only make life more difficult for Charlotte, not only on Thursday but obviously, for the remainder of the campaign as well.

As for Durant, Wednesday's game is also going to be a big one for him. He shocked the basketball world when he made his move to the Suns, and there's obviously a lot of pressure on his shoulders to deliver. He will obviously be looking to make a statement in his first game for his new squad, and there's no better way to do it than to come out with a Kevin Durant-type of explosion.