NBA Draft Reminder: Kevin Durant’s “Less Than Impressive Workouts” in 2007
You’ll be reading plenty of rumor-laden NBA draft stories in the coming weeks – perhaps even a few on this site – so as a reminder to BELIEVE NONE OF WHAT YOU HEAR, we present to you this June 2007 piece in the Seattle Times about Kevin Durant’s less-than-impressive workouts:
Durant, who will likely be chosen No. 2 in the June 28 draft by the Sonics, was the only player who could not bench press 185 pounds at least once. His overall performance ranked 78th out of 80 prospects, and his lackluster workout appears to have widened the gap between him and Ohio State center Greg Oden, who had an impressive combine.
Durant measured 6 feet 9 without shoes and 6-10 ¼ with shoes. He weighed 215 pounds and had a 7-4 ¾ wingspan, second widest among prospects and a half-inch wider than Oden’s. Durant, however, fell short in nearly every other statistical category to the 7-foot center, who is expected to be chosen No. 1 by Portland.
Five years later … yeah. [Seattle Times via Albert Breer]

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58 Responses to “NBA Draft Reminder: Kevin Durant’s “Less Than Impressive Workouts” in 2007”
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June 11th, 2012 at 11:12 AM
If all it takes is badmouthing Durant before the draft, then I guess we can expect a TBL puff piece on Percy Allen.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:14 AM
Hindsight is a beautiful thing, isn’t it.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:16 AM
must be hard to bench press with a 7’4″ WINGSPAN. why do they even have nba players do the bench press at their combine? i can’t think of any movement in bball that requires that type of movement other than trying to keep shaq’s ass away.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:16 AM
All I can say is, fuck that Lizard Lick Towing expandable ad at the top of the page. Stop fucking with me, Lizard Lick Towing, or you will go from expandable to expendable!
June 11th, 2012 at 11:19 AM
All I can say is, fuck that Lizard Lick Towing expandable ad at the top of the page. Stop fucking with me, Lizard Lick Towing, or you will go from expandable to expendable!
If you use Firefox, Google “Firefox Ad Block” and download it. It will change your life.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:19 AM
Instead of bench press, maybe they should institute a knee press.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Knuckle pushups after you hit the deck.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:21 AM
I have IE, unfortunately. I used to have Firefix on my home laptop and loved it, particularly because of Ad Block.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:21 AM
The real brilliant move Presti made that year was not drafting Durant (no-brainer), but trading Ray Allen and bottoming out. Pretty much assured they’d be in the lottery the next 2 years and put them in a position to draft Westbrook/Harden. On paper trading Allen (and Big Baby Davis) for Jeff Green/Wally Szczerbiak/Delonte West looks lopsided but both teams truly benefitted.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:21 AM
Seriously though, that’s insane. His bench range of motion is greater than my squat range of motion.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Work computer will let me download Firefox (don’t tell IT), but it won’t let me install AdBlock. Talk about a kick in the nuts.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Amazing #humblebrag by Shrutebag in there “I’m a talk show host and I bench more than 185 pounds.”
Which leads me to wonder why we got no v-shaped back references in TBL’s profile.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:24 AM
So we shouldn’t believe Durant’s bench press, vertical, and wingspan measurements? I doubt they were made up. I don’t think any of Durant’s skill-workouts were “less than impressive.” Seems the better discussion is how much stock we should put into various measurables.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Hindsight is a beautiful thing, isn’t it.
It is, but let’s remember that there were more than a few people screaming “Hey maybe you should take the small forward scoring machine who is going to fit perfectly in the modern NBA, instead of the injury-prone old-school center who already looks like he’s 37 running up and down the court”.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:25 AM
I think Portland was just enamored with the left handed free throw shooting. Just look how successful Luke Jensen was on the ATP tour with the ol’ righty/lefty serving.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Just like the Lakers – Grizzlies “heist”.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:25 AM
Work computer will let me download Firefox (don’t tell IT), but it won’t let me install AdBlock. Talk about a kick in the nuts.
It’s like their taunting you.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Uh, they’re. Not their.
/shit
June 11th, 2012 at 11:26 AM
sounds like an excuse for more bad bodybuilder fashion.
you know you have a problem when your legs are too big to fit into pants with a corresponding waist size…every pair of pants looks like hammer pants. i like this guy’s attitude…if i already look like im wearing hammer pants, why not tuck in my skin tight, pastel t shirt to complete the awesome look?
June 11th, 2012 at 11:27 AM
I like when you try to post comments back to back and the server freaks out and says “You’re posting too quickly. Slow down”. It’s almost like the server is talking to me in a bedroom voice.
Baby we’ve got all night. I’ll be able to post slower the second time around.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:27 AM
I definitely remember people making that argument. But, I don’t know that anyone with that first pick, at that time, would have had the balls to pass on Oden for Durant.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:28 AM
/stubbybrag
June 11th, 2012 at 11:28 AM
phenomenal.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:29 AM
That is insane.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:29 AM
His ape index (look it up) is ~1.10 (88.75″ / 81″), which is crazy. Sadly, mine is even larger.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:30 AM
So, is that picture an ad for a Peach colored shirt shirt … or is his name Peach?
/NTTAWWT
June 11th, 2012 at 11:30 AM
All I can say is, fuck that Lizard Lick Towing expandable ad at the top of the page. Stop fucking with me, Lizard Lick Towing, or you will go from expandable to expendable!
From now on, just post the following comment and we’ll know what you’re talking about and won’t waste our time reading long complaints about TBL’s revenue generation techniques:
Gripe of the week inserted here.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:30 AM
lol
June 11th, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Gripe of the week inserted here.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:32 AM
Spencer, be honest. How many times have you done heavy curls in a towel?
June 11th, 2012 at 11:36 AM
only once, and never again.
/i need zubaz to hide my chicken legs…i only workout the glamour muscles
June 11th, 2012 at 11:36 AM
It was close, but the “Dominant Big” logic has always been prevalent even though the game has changed. I think aside from Orlando and Houston any team in that spot would have picked Oden. He went 25-12-4 in the NCAA championship game and seemed to be over his early-season injuries.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:37 AM
How many times have you done heavy curls in a towel?
Heavy curls, in a towel while speed walking around the neighborhood. With a headband. I’m that guy.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:39 AM
spencer – happy for your boy’s 5th career win yesterday?
someone needs to tell him the beard should blend in with the sideburns though.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:41 AM
oh, you know, just relaxing in a natural pose with my jeans, weird ass tank top and hat with supplement company on it. why thanks for noticing my v-shaped back!
June 11th, 2012 at 11:42 AM
actually yea, kinda. dude still needs a short game and putting lesson, but good to see him back so quickly after the injuries.
how the hell did rory not take this tourney by the throat? IT’S MEMPHIS bro…those are the types of tourneys tiger stopped going to because he’d win them so easily.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:42 AM
damnit forgot to link the pic in 35.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:42 AM
I think spencer’s boy’s beard matches his sideburns just fine.
/low blow
June 11th, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Chrome maybe?
June 11th, 2012 at 11:43 AM
i lolled.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:44 AM
Shawn Ray really is the gift that keeps on giving. Certainly helped that his prime was in the early 90s.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:46 AM
No fanny pack?!
June 11th, 2012 at 11:47 AM
DUDE, you knew i was gonna wear my striped singlet today. the fuck?
June 11th, 2012 at 11:48 AM
you don’t say.
/points awarded for customized wrist straps
June 11th, 2012 at 11:51 AM
You guys are going to get Jason all hot and bothered if you keep posting all these strapping men with v-shaped backs.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:51 AM
how the hell did rory not take this tourney by the throat?
cause he’s not Tiger.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:58 AM
anybody interested in a bet? Tiger vs. the field in the US Open. I take the field.
June 11th, 2012 at 11:58 AM
Goddamnit, why won’t you let me link!?!?
June 11th, 2012 at 12:01 PM
what moron would take Tiger?
June 11th, 2012 at 12:01 PM
Oh, I see how it is. All of a sudden bodybuilding.com is not an acceptable link? F that.
June 11th, 2012 at 12:02 PM
against the field? nobody…but tiger’s a favorite, for sure. his game is in pretty good form at the right time and olympic’s turns and lack of typical length should keep the driver, his worst club, out of his hands.
def one of the favorites.
June 11th, 2012 at 12:03 PM
It’s funny that this is the exact opposite of the way things were before (eg, Tiger-Proofing).
June 11th, 2012 at 12:04 PM
If you actually watched Greg Oden play basketball, the last thing you would think is, “that guy plays like an old man.” As his measurables attest, he was an amazing athlete.
Your entire comment reeks of hindsight bias.
June 11th, 2012 at 12:07 PM
I’ve made plenty of money off of maroons taking Tiger the past couple of years. stop raining on my parade.
June 11th, 2012 at 12:07 PM
tiger proofing would’ve made it more of a one-man show than it already was if they never came up with 460cc driver heads. that took away a lot of the driving advantages the great drivers had over the field.
but olympic’s also kind of a one-off course. you don’t see many like it.
June 11th, 2012 at 12:08 PM
Your entire comment reeks of hindsight bias.
I wondered – I thought that was the smell of dead possum in a bakery.
June 11th, 2012 at 12:37 PM
what moron would take Tiger?
i took him one time against Miz, who proceeded to hound me for 3 weeks like a hired goon for $10.
June 11th, 2012 at 12:38 PM
i guess engineering doesn’t pay what it once did…
/does Tennessee still have a football program?