Kevin Durant watches Baba Oladotun from the sidelines
A dominant showing from Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves spelled the end for Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, as they were swept in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs. The Suns lost 122-116 on Sunday night, with Edwards scoring 40 points.
However, as Durant alluded to in his exit press conference, where he said, “I’m mainly focused on the ball,” the two-time NBA champion was in attendance for some high-school level hoops, as he took in an incredible showing from the No. 1 recruit from the Class of 2027, Baba Oladotun.
Oladotun has quickly solidified himself on top of most recruitment boards thanks to his incredible combination of size and skills. At 6-foot-8, he already has professional-ready height with a shooting stroke that has drawn immediate comparison to the two-time Finals MVP in attendance for his performance.
In the video posted by SportsCenter, Oladotun, 15, showcased his full scoring arsenal at the EYBL, raining down jumpers left and right with moves to the cup for layups and dunks sprinkled in. Kevin Durant, whose net worth is pegged at $300 million by Celebrity Net Worth, was also captured by the cameras watching the prospect in action.
In particular, a one-dribble hesitation pull-up from the elbow looked straight out of the Suns superstar’s playbook. Oladotun finished with 29 points for the game on 10 for 17 shooting.
In addition, he was a force defensively as well, playing the passing lanes and drawing five steals, showcasing the two-way talent that made him such a standout at the Elite Youth Basketball Event held by Nike.
He was a member of Team Durant, further prompting the appearance of the NBA superstar as his youth development basketball program continues its mission to encourage and promote high-level youth development.
What’s next for Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns?
Since taking over the team midway through the 2023-24 season, owner Mat Ishbia has been front and center of the Suns organization. The first domino was orchestrating the trade to land Kevin Durant in the Valley.
An altercation with Nikola Jokic during last year’s playoffs became a non-story soon after, thanks to the bevy of moves in the offseason that Phoenix underwent. After firing coach Monty Williams and appointing Frank Vogel, the Suns went shopping for a third superstar, eventually landing Bradley Beal in a trade with the Washington Wizards.
With three high-level scorers on the team, each of whom has averaged over 27 points per game multiple times in their careers, the rest of the roster soon fell into place, with role players and veterans galore.
However, the season did not go according to plan for a team with championship aspirations, as it was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. However, Ishbia believes that the team’s core is intact and good enough to win a title.
Speaking of their untimely exit, Ishbia was adamant about the strength of his roster, even claiming that a majority of the league would trade places with the Suns.
“Ask the other 29 GMs— 26 of them would trade their whole team for our whole team and our draft picks and everything as is,” he said. “The house is not on fire. We’re in great position. It’s not hard to fix. It’s not like we’re like, ‘Hey, we don’t have enough talent to win a championship.’ We have enough talent to win a championship.”
With reports of Vogel being on the hot seat, could a coaching change redirect the trajectory of the team in the desert? Do you think minor moves can put Phoenix back in the title hunt? Let us know in the comments below.
Was this article helpful?
Relative Articles
None found
