Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA Draft: Each team’s greatest draft pick of all-time

By Daniel Lubofsky

MIAMI - NOVEMBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers take a breather on November 12, 2009 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI - NOVEMBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers take a breather on November 12, 2009 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
22 of 31
Next
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Greatest draft pick in Oklahoma City Thunder history: Kevin Durant

Say what you may about his 2016 free agency decision, but it’s hard to deny the impact Kevin Durant had on the Oklahoma City Thunder organization since its inception back in the summer of 2008.

Following their inaugural 23-win 2008-09 campaign, the Thunder gradually improved into a perennial title contender. In three subsequent seasons after, there was a competitive first-round exit, a loss in the conference finals and then a defeat in the NBA Finals. Had James Harden not been traded, who knows how things would’ve played out. Either way, by that point it was clear the Thunder would be a force to reckon with, in large part because of No. 35.

With Russell Westbrook at his side, Durant put Oklahoma City on the map as a basketball powerhouse with immense talent. He averaged 27.4 points over nine seasons, including four scoring titles, with a lanky physique and skillset the league had never seen before in a single player.

As OKC improved, so did Durant. Every year, it seemed as though he added another dimension to his already diverse offensive arsenal. He became a more willing passer in 2012-13 and was also able to join the elusive 50-40-90 efficiency club shooting .510/.416/.905.

After Harden’s exile, injuries would limit the Thunders’ playoff ceiling at times, but that never stopped Durant from going down swinging anyway. Somehow, he was even better in the postseason, upping his scoring average to 28.8 points per game, the fifth highest per game average of all time.

Oklahoma City is one of the smallest media markets in the NBA, and yet year after year, the Thunder were granted a number of prime-time games on both ESPN and TNT. No one guy is ever the sole reason for a franchise’s success, but for OKC, most of it traces back to Durant’s greatness on the court as one of the best scorers in league history.

Home/NBA Draft