Kevin Durant to have Jersey Retired

by Egonz on Feb 18, 2009 3:44 PM CST

During Halftime of the Tech game, Kevin Durant will have his jersey retired. I know that this has always been a hot topic around here, considering that he only stayed here for one year. However, my freshman year on campus was the only year he was here, and watching him play and watching how effortlessly he would put up 30+ pts. a game will be one of my favorite basketball memories.

Add in the fact that he essentially swept every national player of the year award, and is excelling in the NBA, i think he deserves it. Thoughts?

Link:

From Texassports.com

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He deserves it

but that says more about our lack of tradition at UT than it does KD. If Durant went to UNC, Duke, KU, UK, etc. and put up the same numbers, and they lost in the 2nd round of the tourney, he would not have his jersey number retired.

by goingforthecorner on Feb 18, 2009 4:38 PM CST reply actions

um...

isn’t Hansbrough having his number retired for winning all the same awards Durant won? Hansbrough hasn’t won anything either.

by vy til i die on Feb 18, 2009 10:38 PM CST up reply actions

maybe not championship-wise

but he did lead his team to the final four. and he has the acc scoring record. yes, i’m for the retiring of durant’s number, but i dont think its fair to say hansbrough hasn’t won anything

Ian Johnson gets on one knee.
Sam Bradford gets on both.

by acho81 on Feb 18, 2009 10:54 PM CST up reply actions

Horrible comparison

Hansbrough and his team has gotten further in the tournament. He’s been there FOUR years. He’s setting all-time ACC records. He clearly deserves it.

by goingforthecorner on Feb 19, 2009 12:11 AM CST up reply actions

Ease up on the homerism.

-rBr-

by run Bevo run on Feb 19, 2009 8:05 AM CST up reply actions

I think...

you’re just being bitter about Durant leaving early. Can you honestly say that you don’t think KD would’ve got his team further into the tourney if he had more than one year? Should Durant be penalized for accomplishing most of the awards that TH did in one year?

by vy til i die on Feb 19, 2009 12:47 PM CST up reply actions

Well he definitely shouldn't be rewarded for the hypothetical

otherwise we would maybe have to retire more jerseys based on other players not leaving early like Aldridge, Gibson, and Augustin.

KD got his jersey retired because he won NPOY and had some Big 12 single season records at the time.

by goingforthecorner on Feb 19, 2009 1:10 PM CST up reply actions

Hold on

So now you justify giving awards on what would have happened?

Im not bitter he left early, you do what you gotta do. I just feel that part of the tradeoff of getting your money early is that you give up some of your legacy at your school. I dont think thats an arguable point, he didnt get another chance to go deep into the tournament, hes not getting any career records etc… what is arguable, is if that includes jersey retiring or not. To me it does.

by BoddickerIsClutch on Feb 19, 2009 1:11 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not...

I was just saying that KD accomplished a lot in the year that he was here, and that special year should be remembered.

by vy til i die on Feb 19, 2009 1:57 PM CST up reply actions

I tend to agree with Boddicker...

I don’t quite see why UT feels they need a uniform NPOY/Heisman winner policy for jersey retirement in the respective sports. Their should be some sort of panel of ex-athletes, coaches, and media members that meet every 3-5 years to decide these things. With VY, we all knew that nobody should ever wear #10 again. With KD, the amount of debate alone shows that the policy is flawed. In the last few years of UT Athletics, in my opinion, only VY and Cat have done enough to have their jersey’s retired….

by the1austin on Feb 19, 2009 2:08 PM CST up reply actions

They probably have the policy

because if they don’t have a set policy they will have to get into impossible arguments based on personal preference with the fans

by Wells on Feb 21, 2009 10:24 AM CST up reply actions

impossible arguments based on personal preference

Because theres none of that in college sports….

by BoddickerIsClutch on Feb 23, 2009 11:17 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

tradition is overrated

COACH BOOM BABY!!

by hookemkp on Feb 19, 2009 1:04 PM CST up reply actions

Man that old discussion was a long time ago.

But Ill go ahead and just summarize since you asked for thoughts. Nothing against KD, I loved watching him here, continue to root for him now, and hes probably the best player we will ever see at the 40 acres, but I don’t think one and dones who don’t bring a championship should be retired.

Even ‘Mello at ’Cuse I’m not sure I’d support being retired (I don’t know if he is but hes the clearest case of winning you a championship in one year that I know of).

Anyway grats to Durant, couldn’t have happened to a better guy, or Horse player!

by BoddickerIsClutch on Feb 18, 2009 4:59 PM CST reply actions

This kid deserves everything that is coming to him.

"Football's so important in Texas. On the West Coast, it's a social. On the East Coast, it's a culture. Here, it's a religion."
-- Major Applewhite

by Sunkist on Feb 18, 2009 10:52 PM CST reply actions

He's now the 5th leading scorer in the NBA and he isn't old enough to drink on 6th yet...

Meanwhile Benjamin Button, I mean Greg Oden, is out with another injury….. But, let’s not bash him, don’t forget that centers win championships…..

by the1austin on Feb 18, 2009 11:45 PM CST reply actions

Oden should be drafted #1 everytime

I’m sure Durant is enjoying lighting up the scoreboard on his 13-41 team.

by goingforthecorner on Feb 19, 2009 12:12 AM CST up reply actions

Forget the fact that Oden has 2 left feet.....

And has played in 46 games in 2 and 2/3rd seasons. I guess we should also forget that Durant came to a team that dumped every player it had (Allen & Lewis primarily) to rebuild around him while Oden had a proven talent (Roy) and up and coming star (Adridge) already there.

I admit, I am a KD homer, and have a man crush on him (did you see him drop 47 on N.O the other night?), but Oden has shown us absolutely no reason to believe he can ever live up to the hype. The memore of his effort against Florida two years ago has faded.

by the1austin on Feb 19, 2009 9:44 AM CST up reply actions