Kevin Durant Taking Kobe Bryant’s Advice On Board
- Updated: November 4, 2014
Kevin Durant suffered his first serious injury of his career at the beginning of this season. Durant is telling ESPN.com that he received advice from Kobe Bryant and he is taking it on board.
“Kobe reached out to me at one point right after I got out of surgery,” Durant told ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike” on Tuesday. “We played a preseason game, and I was sitting on the sideline, and I was just wanting to get into the game. I just asked him, how’d he do it? What was his thought process? He just told me, he tried to learn the game as much as he can from the sideline and be the best teammate he can be and support all the guys.
“From a guy like Kobe that stood out to me, just knowing he’s at the top of his game, but always trying to get better in all aspects, I learned a lot just from that conversation. It was big for me.”
“Even though [Bryant’s] injury was worse than mine — he was out for longer — every time I don’t play, I still feel as though something is missing from yourself,” Kevin Durant said. “It was good to hear from him and put everything in perspective.”
KD’s foot injury has put the superstar in an interesting and unfamiliar place; on the bench. But Durant says he is enjoying the time he gets to be a team player. In last week’s game, OKC teammate, Russell Westbrook joined him on the injury list with a fractured hand.
“I’m just having fun cheering for my teammates, just want to tackle that part of it, be the best teammate I can be and leader from the sideline and hopefully inspire and ignite my teammates,” Kevin Durant said. “I’m having fun doing that. Just trying to make the best of it.”
The NBA has been plagued with injuries and Paul George has also fallen victim. Durant told ESPN.com that George’s injury was the reason he had to take time-off from Team USA.
“It took everything out of me seeing that,” Kevin Durant told a friend in the documentary. “Everything I had to play for Team USA, that injury stripped it away from me.”
We must remember that Kevin Durant is approaching free agency in 2016 and there have been whispers of a possible “Lebron-esque” homecoming for the Washington native.
“I really haven’t thought about that, to be honest. I hear it a lot,” Durant said. “But I think I can make an impact on the community I grew up in from anywhere. So I think I’m doing a good job of that in Oklahoma. My friends, my family, the kids in my neighborhood are seeing that. I’m inspiring them from Oklahoma City.
“I really haven’t thought about it. I love where I am. I know that sounds cliche and the answer everybody gives, but that’s really true from my side of it. I’m sure everybody’s watching from afar.”
Stay with us at Calisportsnews.com as we will keep you up-to-date on all things Los Angeles Lakers and the rest of the LA sports teams! All Cali, all the time!
Related Posts
About Holly Humphreys
