NCAA March Madness 08
After a prolific freshman season at Texas, Kevin Durant is getting acclimated to the level of competition in the NBA. Judging from Durant’s 20 points per game average through the first 18 games, he isn’t having problems adjusting. We had a chance to catch up with KD after practice and talk to him about his work on March Madness 08, his transition to the pros, and the mark he plans to leave on the sport.
GameSpot: How did you feel when you heard you were going to be on the cover of March Madness 08?
Kevin Durant: I was ecstatic, man. I’ve been playing this game for a long, long time and just to be in a great group of guys to be on the cover of the game was a blessing for me. And it’s going to be crazy seeing myself in the stores, on the shelves, with my face on the game.
GS: How was your experience with EA’s motion capture for the game?
KD: It was a great experience. I mean, it’s something that I had seen on TV before, growing up, and that’s something that I always wanted to do–making moves and seeing it being incorporated into the game right in front of your face is great. It was fun for the guys that were there with me and it’s something that I would like to do again. It was a very fun experience for myself.
GS: As far as gaming is concerned, do you prefer the college game a little bit more than the NBA?
KD: Oh, no, I think it’s all the same to me, to be honest with you. But both games are very fun and intense. I get very into the games when I’m playing, especially when I’m playing against my family members or my friends. So I try to play each game evenly, you know what I mean? Once March Madness comes out, I’ll play that for about a week straight then go to NBA Live and kind of switch it up like that.
GS: Oh, that’s cool. Do you guys get a chance to play a lot of games when you’re not on the court?
KD: Yeah, I try. We have a lot of free time to ourselves. So after practice or workouts or things like that I try to get some time in on the game, try to hone my skills a little bit.
GS: So who’s the biggest gamer in the Sonics locker room?
KD: Really, you don’t really hear too many people talking about the game. So I think myself, I’m a big gamer. I like to play a lot. That’s what I do in my free time just to get away from everything, just go out and play some games.
GS: Just a little unwind, huh?
KD: Yes, sir.
GS: Recently EA ranked you as the number two-ranked college basketball player of all time. What do you think about that rating?
KD: I think it’s a little too high, to be honest with you. I mean, there were some great college players. But it’s a blessing to be in this company with guys like Michael Jordan, Erving Johnson, Clyde, and Larry Bird and [guys] like that. But it will be cool just to play as myself on a college game as well. It’s a blessing for me.
GS: Coming into this, your rookie season, what was going on in your head just prior to your first game? Did you feel you shouldn’t push the issue too much or maybe you didn’t want to try to force shots?
KD: I just wanted to be aggressive and try to get that win the first game. And unfortunately we didn’t come out with the win but I think we played very well. After the fourth quarter–we kind of gave up in the fourth, kind of put our guard down and didn’t put pressure on Denver in the fourth. But I think we’re capitalizing on that and we’re getting better.
GS: So far, what’s the biggest adjustment you’ve had to make to the NBA, if anything?
KD: The one biggest thing is the travel and how we travel almost every day and then how we play games one day and practice that next morning and things like that. The NBA schedule is just so different from a college schedule. Right now, I’ve already played over half of a college season so far and this is only the first month. And I think in about two more weeks, I would have played a whole college season. So you just got to get used to that. And once you get used to that I think everything is like smooth sailing from there on in.
GS: Do you think fatigue is going to be a factor, as it is for a lot of rookies, as the season progresses?
KD: I wouldn’t say that. I just got to keep eating right and keep working out and keep getting better. I think that’s all that matters is that you’ve just got to tell yourself that you’re going to continue to get better, continue to grow as a team and as a player.
GS: What has it been like adjusting to the two-guard position?
KD: That’s something new for me. I’ve never played this position before. I just got to learn how to defend two-guards in this league and learn how to get the shot off against smaller, quicker, and stronger guys. But it’s been fun. I’m playing against the best players night in and night out, guarding the best players night in and night out. And that’s only going to make me better. I think that it’s an adjustment for me but I’m getting used to it and, with the help of my coaches and my teammates, I’m getting better.
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