Kevin Durant’s exceptional ability to score a mid-range jumper from anywhere on the court has been a cornerstone of his NBA legacy. Many believe his mastery of this shot makes it nearly impossible for opponents to defend. The Phoenix Suns rookie, Jalen Bridges, witnessed this firsthand during the team’s training camp.
Advertisement
The 23-year-old later reflected on this experience during the team’s media day. He recounted KD charging toward him on a fast break before pulling up for a mid-range jumper. Although Bridges admitted to playing the best defense he could, Durant’s skill was just too much to handle.
“When he gets to that mid-range, I mean there is not really much that can be done. I got my fair share of that. He was coming down in transition one time and I’m right there, playing great defense… Still, I turned around. Watched it go in. You just gotta roll with the punches.”
“When he gets to that midrange, it’s not much that can be done. I’ve gotten my fair share of that.”
Rookie Jalen Bridges on guarding Kevin Durant.
“I’m right there, playing great defense, best defense I possibly could’ve played and I turned around and watched it go in.” #Suns pic.twitter.com/mjAo238fZR
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) September 30, 2024
The praise was undoubtedly justified. After all, Durant boasts an impressive career two-point shooting percentage of 54.1%. He has also consistently shot over 45% from mid-range, which is well above the NBA average of 41%. Besides his hard work, KD’s 6’11” frame has been a key factor in his impressive shooting.
Bridges truly understood this after experiencing it up close. But, he didn’t seem to mind too much. After all, Durant balanced it out by sharing valuable lifelong lessons with the rookie.
KD continues to help out the next generation
During the interview, Bridges spoke about how sharing the locker room with KD could benefit him in the long run. He named Durant as his role model while stating,
“It has obviously been an invaluable experience going up, playing with Kevin [Durant]… To be alongside who I consider to be the best player to ever play this game is surreal. Just to be able to pick his brain, and learn from him is honestly a lesson.”
This highlighted KD’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of players. Last season, he worked closely with Bol Bol, a player with a similar body type. Durant addressed this in a post-game press conference, saying,
“Me and Bol Bol have the same body type so some of the stuff I try to implement in my game I try to tell him as well.”
Bol Bol has always been grateful to KD for his contributions. After all, the 24-year-old achieved a career-high shooting percentage of 61.6% from the field last season.
“He has helped me a lot. Even when he doesn’t know, just watching him. There are times we play one-on-one. It’s been pretty cool especially cause that’s my favorite player growing up.”
