NBA Athlete to Watch for in 2012

            Whether you want to call this my MVP prediction, burning LeBron James' jersey metaphorically through my writing, or simply premature hype, here is my NBA player to keep an eye on in the New Year.

NBA-Kevin Durant

            KD 4 MVP. If Durant were to hold a contest for the most conceited license plate suggestion for him, I think this would be a strong contender. Nothing against Derrick Rose or LBJ/King James, and no I'm not referring to the 36th President of the United States or the British king who has translation of the Bible named after him, but 2012 is Durantula's year. The Bulls are my favorite team, but it will be much harder for D-Rose to stand out in a very competitive Eastern Conference with a three-way race between Chicago, the Miami Heat, and the New York Knicks. The 2010-11 MVP will have to compete with Melo, Amare Stoudemire, LeBron, and D-Wade to make the headlines. And this year, LeBron and the Heat aren't taking no for an answer. D-Wade will take credit and even a few MVP votes away from his teammate and the Miami Heat will be the premier team in the East, making it difficult for Rose to get the recognition he deserves.

Courtesy of http://sportstalkbyzach.com/no-love-for-kevin-durant-this-year/

            Watching Durant play his first four games of the season, it was obvious he had made serious improvements in the offseason and is ready to dethrone the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers as the kings of the West. He tied the record of most consecutive games of scoring 30+ points to start a season with four such performances. KD was shooting lights out from the field, with a .573 shooting percentage from the field in that span and while he won't be a league leader in three-pointers, he is shooting 50% on the season. Between his physical prowess and basketball skills, it's actually unfair to play against him. He stands on the court at 6'9" 235 lbs. as the NBA's second leading scorer behind LeBron. Similarly to LeBron James, he's the perfect storm of athleticism, size, and basketball talent that the only defenders who have a chance to shut him down are ones with that "Big Three" combination. Watching the Orlando Magic try to play defense against him in the season opener was laughable.
            Yeah, like Hedo Turkoglu, a below-average player in league when he's doing anything besides taking spot up threes, has any chance of stopping a player with nine fewer years of wear and tear on his body and led the NCAA scoring and rebounding five years ago. Give me a break. Durant scored thirty as he led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 97-89 victory, but he could have easily scored forty. One quick move was all it took for Turk to question if Durant slipped on an invisibility cloak in front of him or was posterizing one of his teammates behind him. KD could drive past Hedo at will, make his way into the paint to either score an easy bucket or draw a foul on Dwight Howard. Howard has won three Defensive Player of the Year awards but that still doesn't make a difference against Durant. While a center like Superman, may have the height to contest most of his shots, that leaves a gaping hole big enough for Charles Barkley and Shaq to cartwheel through in the lane, not to mention the mismatch that creates on the perimeter.
            Not only has KD's scoring improved, but his assists per game is above his career average and he has shown flashes of his college self, where he can pull in close to ten boards per game. In a shortened season where teams are forced to play 66 games in 120 days, young players and teams have the advantage. They can play on back-to-back-to-back nights and remain healthy while the same cannot be said confidently about teams like the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. The average age of an OKC player is 25.4 years old, making them one of the youngest teams in the league. Compared to the Lakers' 28.2, the Thunder's players are practically on the verge of needing car seats and binkies. With guys like Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Serge Ibaka, and Daequan Cook, Durant is surrounded by very talented, young players. Oklahoma City will not grow as weary as other teams in this fast-paced season and the best part for Durant is that even though Harden and Westbrook could be All-Stars and "the guy" on other teams, KD is respected as the go-to man and the Thunder's best player.
            This season's MVP Race will be a photo finish between Durant, LeBron, D-Rose, Melo, and a case could be made for Dwight Howard, but I think the KD is the current favorite. The Thunder have the advantage with a young team in a shortened season, making them favorites for the Western Conference Finals, which will only help Durant's case.