Rob Parker- "Kevin Durant is the NBA's Donovan Mcnabb"

[OsirusCeltics]

On ESPN First Take, Rob Parker and Skip Bayless recapped the ending of the Mavs-Thunder series

Rob Parker explains that he feels Durant doesn't have that killer instinct. Says he is talented but passive and too much of a nice guy to lead a team to a title.

One other interesting point he made was that Russell Westbrook goes off and tries to take over the game because deep down he doesn't respect Durant as a leader

The topic starts at the 3:58 min mark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHqjCQFdzaQ&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL



I think he may have some truth to this. Durant for his career was seen as the "Anti-Lebron". A humble guy who doesn't have a big ego. But I'm sorry, to win in this league you need to have a dominant personality to get the respect of your teammates
 
There was an NBA TV interview he did with Ahmad Rashad, where he talked about putting Nenad Kristic and Tabo Sefolosha on the cover on a magazine with him, cause they never got any shine as player. It was there that I thought "hey, maybe this guy is too nice". That gesture may have been cute and humble, but those attributes aren't how to succeed on the basketball court.

I may be off base, but that's just my thought. He may gain a killer instinct as he gets older, who knows

[JoT]

I definitely see it and have been saying it since the playoffs this year. Durant is too nice and too much of a pushover and in return you can see it in players especially Westbrook. He needs to gain a backbone and become the leader. Tell Westbrook to back off and stop. He's the starting all star, the NBA scoring champion and is regarded as the better player of the two he needs to act like it and demand like it.
I can't stand Kobe's attitude at times, but he declared the Lakers as his team and no one else, Jordan declared the Bulls his and no one else, Shaq declared the Lakers his and no one else, and LeBron was Cleveland.
I do think this playoffs changed him a bit. He was a bit bitter towards Dirk saying he wasn't happy he was in the Finals because he wanted to be there. Hopefully he changes though and wears the pants on the team.

[dlpin]

I'm sorry, man, but that is nonsense. First, Durant is 22 years old. Second, no one expected OKC to go as far as they did.

This whole notion of a "killer instinct" is stuff that writers like to talk about to fill the air. They also used to say that KG didn't have a "killer instinct"... until he won a title. Same thing for Dirk now, who is in the finals.

Oklahoma lost because their 4 best players (Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka and Harden) are all under 23. Not because of Durant, who averaged 28 and 9 for the series.

[Celtics18]

Tim Duncan comes to mind as well as someone who was considered "too nice" early in his career.

[PosImpos]

Nah man.  He's still really young.  Why doesn't anybody say the same thing about Derrick Rose?  Derrick Rose is really humble and softspoken.  I think both Rose and Durant will get their shots at a title eventually, and people will not see them as "too nice" or "too humble" for their whole careers.  Once they've both racked up MVPs and All-Star berths and the rest, they'll have that star aura to them.

In the end, what matters is what they do on the court, not how they appear to fans off of it.  Rose and Durant both appear very fiery and dominant on the court to me.

[OsirusCeltics]

Tim Duncan comes to mind as well as someone who was considered "too nice" early in his career.

I think Duncan's early part of his career, he was the best player, but David Robinson was the leader

[Celtics18]

Tim Duncan comes to mind as well as someone who was considered "too nice" early in his career.

I think Duncan's early part of his career, he was the best player, but David Robinson was the leader

That's true, and after Robinson retired a lot of people questioned if Duncan had what it took to take over that leadership role, if he had that "killer instinct."

[pearljammer10]

I'm sorry, man, but that is nonsense. First, Durant is 22 years old. Second, no one expected OKC to go as far as they did.

This whole notion of a "killer instinct" is stuff that writers like to talk about to fill the air. They also used to say that KG didn't have a "killer instinct"... until he won a title. Same thing for Dirk now, who is in the finals.

Oklahoma lost because their 4 best players (Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka and Harden) are all under 23. Not because of Durant, who averaged 28 and 9 for the series.

Agree. They are young, and Durant is like 5 years away from playing his best basketball (which is scary btw). He'll come into his own soon enough.

[CelticSince83]

I'm sorry, man, but that is nonsense. First, Durant is 22 years old. Second, no one expected OKC to go as far as they did.

I agree with your point regarding the writers, and why the Thunder lost, they are young and will be a threat for years to come, especially with how they are set up financially with Collison's deal coming off.  However, this little tid-bit is a bit off.  A lot of people thought OKC would get to the Conference finals and maybe even come out of the West.  Also, they beat 2 teams that they were supposed to beat, had better records then, and home court advantage.  They pretty much met expectations.

[wdleehi]

Makes sense.




Taking a young team to the conference finals and not winning a title. 


Totally yells out flawed player.



Of course, every player in the league (except Magic) went through the same thing. 

[Fafnir]

In a player's second playoff run we're already labeling him? Way to soon to say what kind of performer Durant is, he played very very well overall this playoffs. Big step up over his first round performance last year.

[Finkelskyhook]

Apparently Parker must've gotten a  transfusion from jamele hill.

What an idiotic thing to say.

[BballTim]

Tim Duncan comes to mind as well as someone who was considered "too nice" early in his career.

I think Duncan's early part of his career, he was the best player, but David Robinson was the leader

That's true, and after Robinson retired a lot of people questioned if Duncan had what it took to take over that leadership role, if he had that "killer instinct."

  I think a lot more people doubted Robinson's killer instinct than Duncan's.  Very few people that I know of would have said DR and not TD led them to that first title.

[hpantazo]

I agree, he's young, he will develop as a leader. Not everyone can be Rondo you know! Very few young guys are that bullheaded.

[KungPoweChicken]

I don't consider McNabb to be anywhere near the football player Durant is the basketball player.