Kevin Durant is one of the most decorated players in the NBA and has been at the peak of the sport for nearly a decade.
But after his Brooklyn Nets beat the Toronto Raptors Sunday, the 11-time all-star had some praise for someone from the next generation: Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes.
“You’ve got a lot of guys who love to compete and love to win, but what’s more rare about Scottie Barnes is his IQ for the game, his length, his enthusiasm for the game. All of that stuff shines bright when you watch him play,” Durant said post-game. “He knows how to play the right way and he’s only going to get better.”
The Raptors took Barnes fourth-overall in this past summer’s NBA Draft and he’s made an immediate impact in his first month in the league. He leads all rookies in scoring (16.6 points per game), rebounds (8.7) and minutes (38.4) through the first nine games of his career.
Against the Nets, Barnes was all over the floor recording eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and five steals, giving Durant a front-row seat to the many ways he impacts the game. And from Durant’s post-game comments, it’s clear the former MVP noticed.
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