Kevin Durant is the NBA’s all-time eighth-leading scorer, a distinction built on an elite understanding of what it takes to put the ball in the basket at the highest level. Few players in league history have scored with the ease and consistency that Durant has shown across nearly two decades.
Because of that résumé, his words carry significant weight when he speaks about offense, talent evaluation, and how scorers are perceived around the league.
Kevin Durant Pushes Back Against Lack of Respect for Nets Guard
Following the victory on Thursday night, in a media interaction, Durant praised Brooklyn Nets guard Cameron Thomas’ natural scoring instincts and long-term potential. Durant emphasized that pure scorers often fall behind defenders and playmakers in league-wide appreciation, even though putting the ball in the basket remains the most complex skill to master at the professional level.
He expressed hope that a franchise would eventually trust Thomas with a larger role, give him the ball consistently, and allow him to grow into a cornerstone player.
“I feel like Cam has a bright future. It just takes somebody to believe in his talent and his skill. Scorers and guys that score the basketball at a high rate, they get taken for granted in this league a bit.” Durant said. “We’re so used to loving defenders and playmakers and guys that can be connectors, sometimes scorers get taken for granted. So hopefully somebody takes a chance on Cam and gives him what he deserves and puts the ball in his hands and builds around him and lets him grow into a player… Hopefully a team puts some trust in him.”
Thomas scored 21 points during his 23 minutes of action against the Rockets. He is currently playing on a one-year, $5,993,172 contract. The 24-year-old guard continues to prove he can score at a high level, regardless of lineup changes or game script.
While Brooklyn has leaned toward a defense-first and ball-movement identity, Thomas remains one of the few players capable of creating offense on his own, especially when the team is struggling to keep pace.
Meanwhile, Durant scored 22 points along with five rebounds and 11 assists during his 37 minutes on the court. The Rockets are the 4th seed in the Western Conference with 21 victories and 10 defeats.
