Sold on Durant

I'm sold on Kevin Durant.

Before the season started, the NCAA basketball media hype machine was focused squarely on one person: Ohio State's Greg Oden, the incredible 7-footer serving his one year in the college ranks before the NBA's number-one draft pick made him millions.

Oden has been good, maybe even as good as expected, all while playing through injury. But another freshman has stolen the show this winter, and that freshman is Kevin Durant of Texas, and he happens to be coming to the Wachovia Center tomorrow.

Durant looks like the real deal, one of those "I saw him when"-type players. Thanks to a recent NBA rule change that requires high-school phenoms to wait one year after their class's graduation to submit themselves into the draft, the college game will benefit greatly from increased star power. Oden and Durant are just the first wave, but I think Durant particularly has the chance to be something we've never seen before.

At 6-10, 225, with a vertical leap out of the arena, Durant is a rare athletic specimen. But that's just the beginning of the story. It's his game that sets Durant apart. Built like a power forward, he plays like a 2-guard, facing the basket and slashing to the rim at will. The only differences are that Durant is quicker than most guards, and his shot is blocked far less often in the lane once he gets there.

As if that weren't enough, Durant is also effective on the perimeter jumpshot. He is putting down threes at a respectable 37.4 percent clip, and he is able to shoot over pretty much anyone quick enough to get out to him before the shot is in the air.

In short, the only way I can see to guard a player like Kevin Durant is with Kevin Durant himself. Since human cloning has not been perfected, expect Durant to be a superstar for a long, long time.

Durant comes into the Wachovia Center tomorrow to face the 'Cats averaging 24.5 points and 11.1 rebounds per game for the year. He has picked up the pace the last 4 games, however, putting up 34 points and 13.5 rebounds during that stretch. Durant is also usually good for 2 steals, blocks, and assists per game. In short, he can do it all.

It is going to be interesting to see how the Wildcats handle a player like Durant. I like Villanova's chances in this game, especially if it plays like it did Saturday.

But whatever the outcome, at least when people talk about Kevin Durant, I can say "I saw him when."