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Kevin Durant pondered the question much the same way he approaches the game. He considered it with the same respect he tries to show for his opponent. He then dismissed it as if he were attacking one or two defenders incapable of stopping him.
There’s no question the Suns have plenty of talent with Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. There are questions, however, if all three can stay healthy consistently. Beal (sore lower back) and Booker (left foot) sat in Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, and all three players have missed significant time in recent seasons with various ailments. Though the Suns are among the championship contenders this season, what does Durant make of the concern on whether the team’s three stars can stay durable?
“I don’t look at that stuff like that,” KD told Sportskeeda. “I know people have those concerns. But I just think that is just people hoping, to be honest, that we don’t finish the season. Every team can say, ‘Shouldn’t you be worried about injuries?’ Every team can say that.”
Durant spoke to Sportskeeda about that topic, his fit with Beal and Booker and his more methodical approach since injuring his right Achilles tendon with the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals. Since then, Durant has either closely mirrored or eclipsed his career averages in scoring and shooting percentages with the Brooklyn Nets (2020-23) and Phoenix Suns (2023-24).
Kevin Durant full interview (Exclusive)
Editor's note: The following 1-on-1 interview has been edited and condensed.
How do you explain your efficiency being on par and sometimes even better than before you injured your Achilles?
Kevin Durant:
“I’m more methodical now in my approach with where I want to score from and where I want to initiate from. A lot of times before that, I was just running it ‘kamikaze style.’ I was not reading the defense, not understanding the different schemes that coaches were putting at me. I feel like as I sat down and got older with winning, injuries and all of that stuff, it has helped my basketball IQ. That has grown more than anything – my IQ for the game and knowing how to approach each game.”
It’s interesting you say that because even more your Achilles injury, you always tried to be efficient and methodical. What does that look like before and after?
Kevin Durant:
“I play closer to the rim now – more in the midrange, more in the mid-post and in the post area. I feel like those are my sweet spots where I can get myself involved and my teammates involved. When I have to handle the ball up top, I will. I’m just thinking about my moves now. I’m just thinking a little bit more out there on the court. I wouldn’t say it’s anything too drastic. But I’m just thinking more out there. Sometimes, I overthink. I’m just thinking about my approach in what I can do out there before I could with my Achilles injury.”
You famously said, “I’m Kevin Durant.” But does any of this surprise you that you didn’t just come back, but that you’ve often fared better since then?
Kevin Durant:
“The doctors told me I would be the same at some point and I would feel good. Injuries happen. A lot of guys in the league bounce back from Achilles pretty well and still play long careers afterward. I don’t think it’s a huge deal. But it’s the simple fact that when it happened in the [2019 Finals], it was a traumatic thing for everybody else. But it’s a normal thing in sports when you injure your Achilles, and you bounce back. I didn’t think I was doing anything special. I had more time with recovery than other people with the pandemic. I had extra days to get right. Once the season stopped and they picked it up in the bubble, I feel like I had all of that time to get ready and prepared for my next phase of my career. It worked out.”
How does that approach help you play your game while the team integrates Beal into the mix with you and Booker once everyone is back?
Kevin Durant:
“Just being on the same page and complementing one another. I think more reps on the floor together are going to help us. We spent time together in the summer. We spent together in the preseason. I spent time with Booker last time in the playoffs in the short time we had together. It’s just about getting comfortable with one another, seeing where we like the ball and seeing how we like to initiate. All of that stuff. I feel like our chemistry is going up every day, regardless.”
I saw your comment, “You can’t guard us all at once…."
Kevin Durant:
“That’s just basketball (laughs). If Beal has the ball and the whole team is going to watch him, then they’re not focusing on guys on the backside. I wasn’t saying it like, ‘We’re just better than everybody else.’ It’s regular basketball. Book can run a pick-and-roll, and three people will be watching him. So somebody has to be open. It’s physics. We’ll figure it out."
How do you think the personalities and styles of games complement each other?
Kevin Durant:
“It’ll be good. The only thing will be, ‘Who will bring the ball up?” That’s just a different part. It’s not as traditional as past teams that we’ve all been on. We’ve had point guards that bring the ball up. Now we can all do it and initiate the offense. That makes us even more dangerous up top.”
Some of it is uncontrollable, but there have been question marks on if the group can stay healthy…
Kevin Durant:
“That’s a question mark for everybody…..”
For sure, and lots of it is uncontrollable. But are there things you think the group and you individually can do this season to better the odds of that?
Kevin Durant:
“Nah, you can’t. You keep up at it with your routine and keep at it with your body and all of that stuff. But some of that stuff is [uncontrollable]. I got injured the last two years with someone falling into my leg. It’s not like my body was off or I was not aligned right. Somebody fell into my leg, and I was out. Same with [Anthony Davis] and lots of these guys that have had major injuries. Just from being basketball, in general. They do all the stuff right. I did my correctives before that game I played. I lifted the night before my game. But still, somebody ran into my leg. You can’t stop that stuff. I don’t look at that stuff like that. I know people have those concerns. But I just think that is just people hoping, to be honest, that we don’t finish the season. Every team can say, ‘Shouldn’t you be worried about injuries?’ Every team can say that.”
Mark Medina is an NBA insider for Sportskeeda. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.
