Durant Should Not Enter the 2007 NBA Draft

Throughout the college basketball season experts and fans alike have been less than skeptical about the future of Kevin Durant. It has become a foregone conclusion that Durant will indeed declare his intention to enter the draft after the tournament's conclusion. When Texas was blown out by USC in the second round of the tournament most writers began asking not if but when Durant would make the announcement.

I believe that Durant should think carefully before he makes his final decision. I am not even going to attempt to deny that Durant will be, at worst, the second pick in the NBA Draft. He will undoubtedly make millions upon signing his contract with the team that chooses him. He will make even more money in the endorsement deals that follow. These are two very good reasons for the decision to be a no-brainer for Durant.

I don't see the decision being such an easy one. It is important that Durant realizes that he would make even more money if he were to improve his game. The best way for him to do that would be to stay in college for at least one more year. Doing so would give him the tools necessary to be the most complete player in the NBA, thus earning even more money than if he were to enter the 2007 NBA Draft.

Many will say that Durant doesn't need to improve anything about his game. Durant, the best player in college basketball in the 2006-07 season, averaged 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds a game. He also added almost two blocks and two steals every game. Durant shot just over 40 percent from the three-point line, an incredible stat for any player.

The first thing Durant should improve would be his physical attributes. Listed at 6-foot-9 and 225 pounds Durant is hardly a small man. However the fact remains that Durant is small when compared to forwards in the NBA that are his height. If Durant were to leave college now he would enter into a training regimen that would help him gain muscle mass. However the fact remains that he could get into even better shape for the NBA if he were to have an extra year to prepare. An additional year in college would allow Durant to gain the weight needed to be a premier forward in the NBA.

The other main aspect of his game Durant could improve would be his in-game intelligence. Durant is already a smart player but it would be a mistake to believe that anybody his age has learned everything there is to know about the game of basketball. Durant would be playing in the Big 12, one of the best conferences in the nation. This would be a valuable experience for Durant. He could fine-tune his talents even more.

Obviously there is the fear of getting hurt while playing another season of college basketball. Durant could get an insurance policy much like that of Willis McGahee so that if he did get injured he would be protected. Besides, getting injured hasn't seemed to hinder Willis McGahee other than costing him a year of playing. McGahee is still a very good running back making millions of dollars.

There is no question that turning down guaranteed millions would be the most difficult decision for a young man to make. Hopefully Durant has people who are concerned about what is best for his long-term future as well as his financial portfolio giving him advice. Durant staying in college one more year could make him one of the best basketball players of our era. That would be something I would love to see.