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Basketball junkie isn't a term often applied to pro basketball players, a somewhat head-scratching truth given their profession. Yet Kevin Durant falls in that very category, as the Golden State Warriors forward has a new level of appreciation for some of the greats like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, while still fully appreciating less-known stars of the game.
While most people would expect Durant to want to do something different after being inundated with basketball for nine months out of the calendar year, Durant's routine includes watching five or more hours of basketball videos on an off day.
Article Continues Below“On a practice day, it’s usually as soon as I get home. Sometimes it can be 2 p.m. to 7 or 8 p.m.,” he told Shams Charania of The Athletic.
While his appreciation for the game is paramount, to some, it has become a downright obsession — a maniacal perfectionist honing his craft with every hour that passes, doing so mentally as much as he does physically.
“I’m supposed to be that way,” said Kevin Durant. “I’m a student of the game. I got to know every single thing, the ins and outs, and every advantage I can gain. Not by just standing in front of the film and breaking every single clip down, but knowing tendencies, knowing players, knowing what they like to do, their moves. I read articles after playoff series to see what guys are talking about, and try to gain an advantage of the court.
“When I get in the mood, I just watch and watch. My appreciation for the game is on another level right now.”
His game has visibly transformed since joining the Warriors, an evolution that was already in the process during the last few years of his tenure with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 30-year-old Kevin Durant has gone from being a ruthless scorer to an outright technician of the game — a trait that has shown in six-plus seasons of shooting mastery — draining 50 percent or more of his shots in each of his last six seasons and counting.
