Kevin Durant

With respects to the other 29 teams across 2007-08’s NBA landscape, it’s unlikely that Kevin Durant could’ve asked for a more challenging introduction than the one he received against the NBA’s No. 2-ranked offense on October 31, 2007. Toe-to-toe against the soon-to-be Hall of Famer that he modeled his playstyle after, Durant responded in a similar manner to that of every great before him: by creating big-time sequences of his own. Assured of at least a 20-point performance upon rolling out of bed, the Seattle SuperSonics’ new franchise face blended pull-ups, spot-ups, and powerful attacks of the rim into his debut reel, allowing those in green-and-yellow to remain competitive until the final minutes. Though short-lived, the Rookie of the Year’s tenure in Seattle — one that Durant has expressed interest in resuming someday — served as a memorable first footnote in his Springboard-bound career. In a season-opening loss to the Denver Nuggets, Durant acquainted himself with the box score’s every part, collecting a 18-point, five-rebound, one-assist, three-steal, one-block, two-triple showing, planting the seeds for every award imaginable over the ensuing decade.

Rookie of the Year

Rookie Year

Rookie Premiere