Durant On Oden: “I almost drew a tear”
Kevin Durant never let his mind drift to his pseudo rivalry with Greg Oden when he heard the latest injury to Portland’s 7-foot center. The Thunder’s star — even though to this day he would rather have heard his name called first overall in the 2007 NBA Draft – set aside his competitive fire and felt compassion for Oden’s most recent setback.
Oden fractured his left patella in a game against Houston on Sunday and underwent season-ending surgery on Monday.
“Once I heard he was having surgery, to be honest with you I almost drew a tear for him,” said Durant, who became the no-brainer No. 2 pick behind Oden in one of the most highly-debated decisions in the draft’s history.
Durant understands the link he will forever share with Oden and the unavoidable games of “What if?’ some are sure to conjure up. And Oden’s newest hurdle only heightens the historical significance of their selection order.
After three seasons, Oden will have played just 82 games, or the equivalent of one full season. Durant, meanwhile, has taken his projected place as the face of a franchise. He’s on his way to becoming an All-Star and an Olympian. Durant has missed only 10 career games and this season is averaging 28.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals, all career-highs.
But in no way does Durant feel vindicated for being passed over, and he said the constant comparisons are pointless.
“It’s unfair to him because people don’t know how hard he works every day,” Durant said. “But they’re already ready to tear him down. That’s life I guess. But he works hard every day and he does his job every day and people don’t give him credit for that.”
Despite their differing levels of individual success, Durant humbly credited the Blazers’ team success and said he doesn’t think Oden should have to worry about living in his shadow as a player.
“Those guys are a playoff team and are one of the top teams in the West,” Durant said. “Without him they wouldn’t be there. So I guess I’m living in his shadow. He was the No. 1 pick. I was the No. 2. And his team is doing better. I’m just trying to fight toward that with my team. So I wouldn’t say he’s in my shadow.”
Durant said he believes Oden will bounce back from this injury much like he did when recovering from the microfracture surgery that caused him to miss the entire 2007-08 season.
“The last injury he came back and was stronger,” Durant said. “He was playing well, and I know for a fact that if everything works out and his knee gets better and he continues to rehab and everything he’s going to come back better. He’s going to come back with a chip on his shoulder and he’s going to be tough on a lot of defenders.”
Durant reached out to Oden via text message earlier this week and told the Blazers’ big man to keep his head up. Durant let Oden know that he was praying for him. Durant remembered how he was forced to miss seven games last year with a sprained ankle and called the experience, “one of the toughest times of my life.”
“I can’t imagine how it is with him missing the rest of the season, and he did that twice,” Durant said. “It’s tough to go through for a person that loves the game so much.
“The best thing I can do, the only thing I can do, is pray for him and that’s what I told him.”
-DM-
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Comments
Durant is all class.. Such a good guy, through and through.. Thanks for this story, Darnell..
Travis, sorry about Oden.. I don’t wish injury to anyone.. Well, except maybe Kobe.. 
You’re right. Looking back from December 2009, there is no doubt Kevin Durant is a better player than Greg Oden. But this is not 2009; the Blazers had to choose in June 2007. Whom do they want the #1 draft to compete with? Brandon Roy was the starting SG (and Durant would have been drafted as a SG), and Joel Przybilla was the starting C. On Draft Day 2007, who would you choose?
Right, it was a no-brainer at the time, really. And even now, if Oden is healthy and playing out all that potential, he’s the guy for the Blazers.
True Blazer fans remember ’07′ There was a sign on I-84 that said “Honk once for Durant…Twice for Oden”. Everyone honked twice. In the Papers..on Local Radio and TV..National Pundits..Coaches and players all said “Honk Twice”. You have to take a spin on a potential gamechanging Big…a no-brainer.
Durant and Roy’s stars have similar trajectories. They will go at each other for a decade.Both their respective Teams are hitched to them and being built to optimize them. Durant definitely landed in the right situation in terms of both need for his scoring and room for his growth. His Superstardom is very close to absolute (injury..The #1 Starkiller..). If injuries can be overcome, Young Greg could make his mark as well.
My favorite part of the article was KD stressing how HARD GO worked.He did all that was asked and much more and came to Camp READY!! I and all Blazermaniacs feel so bad for him.
To DM and Thunderheads: Thanks for the kind words and the goodwill. KD: He’ll be swatin’ your shots before you know it.
[...] Kevin Durant said he almost cried when Oden got hurt: “Once I heard he was having surgery, to be honest with you I almost drew a tear for him,” said Durant, who became the no-brainer No. 2 pick behind Oden in one of the most highly-debated decisions in the draft’s history … “It’s unfair to him because people don’t know how hard he works every day,” Durant said. “But they’re already ready to tear him down. That’s life I guess. But he works hard every day and he does his job every day and people don’t give him credit for that.” [...]
The 2007 draft was a no-brainer, Oden 1st and then Durant falls into your lap after the ping pong balls moves Seattle up to the 2nd spot (from the 5th or 6th).
Presti’s great pick in that draft was J.Green at no. 5, because he got ripped for it. Noah was 9th, A.Thornton 14th, W.Chandler 23rd, A.Brooks 26th, but Presti got the best player for the franchise by sticking his neck out and taking Green, a guy who didn’t have the flashy numbers that the others had. He was a team guy who made others better and it’s proven out.
Looking back at 2007, Durant was the easy pick, Green was the outstanding one.
That’s very sad for him, i really like the Blazers team, out of curiosity, did anyone else see that Oden is showing us the middle finger, maybe the sign of his doom
Classy comments from KD. Much appreciated from a devastated Blazer fan 
Sign me “New Thunder Fan”, except when you’re playing the Blazers…
Glad to see Durant reaching out. He’s a solid guy, for sure, and I appreciate the closeness they have.
But hey, Darnell, I think it’s important to point out that the Oden-Durant debate has taken place after the draft, almost exclusively. Nearly every GM and analyst agreed that Oden was the clear #1 pick in the draft (particularly if your team had any room for a young center with such a high ceiling–and what team doesn’t?).
I only point this out because I think all this talk about how the Blazers should have and could have taken Durant needs to be laid to rest. They didn’t, and if they were to go back and do it again, they’d pick Oden. Most of us Blazers fans fully support the decision to select Oden, even looking back over the injuries he’s endured. And that’s not a knock on Durant, who’s obviously a fantastic young player.
Appreciate the support for our big guy.