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NBA’s reigning league MVP Kevin Durant is not letting any opportunity slip to let the world know how angry he is. Last week he dropped 40 points on the Denver Nuggets shooting a lights out 5 for 7 from beyond the arc. He then called out anybody who disapproved of his All-Star selection to a one on one game and now he has criticised the panel that decides which player the league must award at the end of the regular season.
During Friday’s All-Star Media Availability Durant questioned who the awards jury comprises and suggested that the players vote should count.
“I think (the) media gets too much power to vote on stuff like that. Quite frankly I don’t think you really know a lot about as much we know about it.“So we play against these guys every single night, we battle against these guys, we know what they say on the court, we know how they handle their teammates, we know how they approach the game, and our votes should count.Our opinions should count. I don’t think you guys know as much we do, and I don’t see why you have more power than we do.”-Kevin Durant
The voting for every regular season NBA award is held with the jury consisting of a group of 124 U.S and Canadian sportswriters and broadcasters. For the MVP award, there are 125 ballots as the fan’s online voting is given one count. Players receive 10 points for first place vote, seven for second place, five for third, three for fourth and one for the fifth and last spot.
Last season averaging 32 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists, Durant was named the MVP for the season totalling 1232 points including 119 first place votes out of the 125. Durant was quite stern about his opinion and continued by saying:
“We really know these guys inside and out,” Durant said of why players should vote for the awards. “There are a lot of guys that deserve Defensive Player of the Year or Sixth Man of the Year but you guys (decide sometimes because) they are not the sexier names. A lot of people will see the names of these players and don’t look at the other guys that contribute to our game as well.
“You guys aren’t in the scouting reports, you’re not in the team meetings and the film sessions to really break down each player’s games. I don’t see why you have more power in voting than we do. We are out there on the court playing with them. We appreciate how you guys blow the game up and bring attention to the game but at the same time, to keep it pure, the players should have more say in that stuff.”
Durant is in New York to take part in the 64th NBA All-Star Game on Sunday at the Madison Square Garden. He was voted in as a reserve for his sixth consecutive All-Star selection despite missing 27 out of the Oklahoma City’s 53 games so far.
