Former assistant with the Lakers during the 2012-13 season, then consultant for the Nets last season, Steve Clifford has since regained his place on the Hornets bench.
But before facing Brooklyn tonight, the veteran coach was nevertheless able to draw interesting parallels between two of the greatest scorers in the history of the League, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant.
“He looks a lot like Kobe”, explains Steve Clifford. “Their personalities are different in many ways, but on the pitch they are very similar in the way they work, they are two students of the game. When I think of Kobe, I think of his passion. When I think of Kevin, I also think of his passion. They are two elite athletes who place much more emphasis on results rather than their own stats. »
For his part, Kevin Durant especially remembers a piece of advice given by the “Black Mamba”. We are then in 2011 and the Thunder begins to seriously make noise in the Western Conference, with a lost, but promising, accession to the conference final against the future champions of Dallas…
“Don’t be a weeper”, remembers KD on this advice. “I was at that age, 23, where I thought the world revolved around me. I know we talked a lot about Kobe but he was really humble in his approach to basketball, in his approach to his teammates, and to life in general. I learned just by following his movements. He was an example. He didn’t say much but he was a role model that I tried to follow. Him and Mike [Michael Jordan évidemment] are the two guys I try to copy on and off the pitch because I know it will make me better. »
“I try to copy them as much as possible”
From Michael Jordan to Kevin Durant, via Kobe Bryant, the filiation is understood, all in fluidity and offensive ease. With different sizes and different performances. But the same quest for perfection.
“It’s difficult to succeed someone like Kobe,” continues Kevin Durant. “But he’s someone I got to know and whose game I still study today. Basically, I just try to copy everything he does, same with Michael Jordan. These two guys set the tone for everything I want to do as a basketball player. I try to copy them as much as possible. »
So not hiding from “stinging” cheerfully in the game of two of the biggest idols, Kevin Durant is quite simply one of those players who are ready to do anything to transcend their sport.
“Anyone who strives for greatness will sacrifice time with their families, friends and do whatever they can to give their all to what they love, to their passion. There are similarities.” concludes Kyrie Irving. “And it’s not just about Kobe and KD, when someone does something big, you wonder how long it took them, year after year, and how serious it took them to get there. at this level of preparation. They are two competitors. Kobe had hung up so he could have given us even more nuggets but it shows that KD received a lot of advice from him. »
| Kevin Durant | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2007-08 | SEA | 80 | 35 | 43.0 | 28.8 | 87.3 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 20.3 |
| 2008-09 | OKAY | 74 | 39 | 47.6 | 42.2 | 86.3 | 1.0 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 25.3 |
| 2009-10 | OKAY | 82 | 40 | 47.6 | 36.5 | 90.0 | 1.3 | 6.3 | 7.6 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 30.2 |
| 2010-11 | OKAY | 78 | 39 | 46.2 | 35.0 | 88.0 | 0.7 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 27.7 |
| 2011-12 | OKAY | 66 | 39 | 49.6 | 38.7 | 86.0 | 0.6 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 28.0 |
| 2012-13 | OKAY | 81 | 39 | 51.0 | 41.6 | 90.5 | 0.6 | 7.3 | 7.9 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 28.2 |
| 2013-14 ★ | OKAY | 81 | 39 | 50.3 | 39.1 | 87.3 | 0.7 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 5.5 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 32.0 |
| 2014-15 | OKAY | 27 | 34 | 51.0 | 40.3 | 85.4 | 0.6 | 6.0 | 6.6 | 4.1 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 25.4 |
| 2015-16 | OKAY | 72 | 36 | 50.5 | 38.8 | 89.8 | 0.6 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 5.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 28.2 |
| 2016-17 | GOS | 62 | 33 | 53.7 | 37.5 | 87.5 | 0.6 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 25.1 |
| 2017-18 | GOS | 68 | 34 | 51.6 | 41.9 | 88.9 | 0.5 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 5.4 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 26.4 |
| 2018-19 | GOS | 78 | 35 | 52.1 | 35.3 | 88.5 | 0.4 | 6.0 | 6.4 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 26.0 |
| 2020-21 | BRK | 35 | 33 | 53.7 | 45.0 | 88.2 | 0.4 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 5.6 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 26.9 |
| 2021-22 | BRK | 55 | 37 | 51.8 | 38.3 | 91.0 | 0.5 | 6.9 | 7.4 | 6.4 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 29.9 |
| 2022-23 | BRK | 25 | 37 | 55.3 | 33.9 | 91.8 | 0.4 | 6.3 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 29.9 |
| Total | 964 | 37 | 49.7 | 38.3 | 88.5 | 0.7 | 6.4 | 7.1 | 4.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 27.3 | |
