Former NBA star and Turner Sports NBA analyst Chris Webber argued that Golden State Warriors Kevin Durant could make his case for Defensive Player of the Year, only months removed from his frontcourt mate Draymond Green winning the much-coveted award after finishing runner-up to San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard.

“He could make his case for best two-way player of the year, even Defensive Player of the Year this year,” Webber said in a recent phone interview with Mark Medina of the San Jose Mercury News.

Webber argued that Durant's physical talents, coupled with his new-found willingness to be the last line of defense and the always-patrolling, arachnid-like presence in the perimeter, that could make him worthy of the honor.

Kevin Durant
Fox Sports
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“His size. It’s literally what God gave him, his height and his length,” said Webber. “Therefore, because he can move laterally and he’s seven feet tall, he’s not 6’9”. He’s seven feet tall. He can check other guys on the rim and use his length.”

“That’s part of it. He’s a great help defender. He has other good defenders on his team, including a great defender in Draymond. I think he’s learned a lot as well. So I’d have to give him all the credit with the effort in, he’s had to learn to play defensively the right way and he uses his God-given ability to block shots on smaller guards and come over and help on bigger players. It’s been fun watching him evolve into a very good two-way player.”

Kevin Durant, Steve Kerr, Mike Brown
Ben Margot/The Associated Press

Durant was leading the league in blocks through the sixth game of the season, averaging a shocking three blocks per game — thankfully in part to a career-high in blocks in the Warriors' 128-120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. The 10-year veteran swatted a game-high seven shots, including two without a shoe, after he lost it in his way back on transition.

His defense was rather quiet in a blowout win of the L.A. Clippers on Monday, registering no blocks or steals throughout his shortened outing on the floor, but there are 74 other games for the 29-year-old to put his skill on display, after all.