Subscribe
Follow Us
Kevin Durant's pursuit of 30,000 points has eyes on him from every direction. Now, Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins might be on the receiving end before Tuesday's game. However, he gave the Suns' star his praise and flowers before Tuesday's game.
“I don't know if there's enough time to list off all the superlatives,” Jenkins said. “Just consistency. When he first came into the league, he just made an immediate impact as a rookie in, the first couple of years in the league. It's his scoring ability, playmaking ability, and adaptability.
“You hear about his work ethic, it's one of the greatest of all time. When you talk about just not coaches talking about him, but fellow teammates, USA basketball, it's a 365 approach with him, and it started at an early age through his one year at Texas. You've seen him do them year after year after year and doesn't matter how many accolades he gets.”
As Jenkins said, the accolades go on and on for Durant. However, his success hasn't been the highlight or the main attention grabber of the season. Unfortunately, Phoenix has been involved in a media circus with trade rumors, among other things. One of the main reports was the locker room being toxic.
Fortunately for the Suns, Durant swiftly shot down those rumors. Even with the negative attention surrounding him, it's been a remarkable season nonetheless.
Taylor Jenkins believes what many do about the Suns' Kevin Durant
Durant's body of work speaks for itself. However, the main ongoing discussion is his consistency. He's been easily one of the most consistent players in the league. Even after tearing his Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals, he's remained elite. Funny enough, he leads the team in scoring with 26.9 points per game.
Also at the beginning of February, Durant accomplished a Suns feat not seen since 2006. He hit four or more threes in five consecutive games. His game continues to evolve, as most great players have. Jenkins remained committed to his previous sentiment and added more about what makes Durant elite.
“Winning championships, just his drive to win, and be the best that he can be and always find something in his game to improve upon,” Jenkins said. “Obviously, help the younger generation get better, how he brings younger players along the side of him, and the biggest thing the guys talk about is his work ethic.
“That's what I think translates to his year after year after year… just ultimate individual success.”
The ultimate individual success has been matched with team success, as he's won two NBA titles and two Finals MVPs. No matter what, he's continuing to grow his legacy for as long as he's in the league. If he reaches the 30,000-point mark on Tuesday, it'll be another example of how historic Durant has been.
