Give him 2 years of practice and Wayne Gretzky is the greatest basketball player ever.
[quote]Kailash wrote:
Durant is likely carrying some imbalances, from doing all hoops and no anti-hoops.[/quote]
LOL
I don’t believe that I’m actually going to say this, but I know that people here always jump to conclusions.
Listen, I believe that strength training does have its place in all sports, its just not as important as some people make it out to be.
And yes, you have to take the nature of the sport in consideration. Some sports require more strength than others to be successful in, which means more strength training.
Basketball is NOT one of these sports.
Some of you have to stop looking at every single problem through the same lens.
[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
Give him 2 years of practice and Wayne Gretzky is the greatest basketball player ever.[/quote]
One year. He doesn’t need to learn how to walk.
[quote]Bauer97 wrote:
Some good points made so far, but his lack of strength shouldn’t be completely written off as un-important.
He isn’t a point guard, and basketball isn’t a non-contact sport. It’s very physical under the basket, and although his biggest skill is that of more of an outside shooter, if he expects to keep those rebound numbers up, he’ll need to put on some size and strength.
As some have said, he’ll have some time to do that, and in the long run his current bench press probably won’t make a difference, but it certainly isn’t helping his case either.
Sure, he’ll eventually get bigger and stronger, but with the type of money a #1 or #2 pick gets paid, a team expects immediate impact, not to have their lanky “star” get shoved around for 2-3 years before he develops.[/quote]
I hear what you’re Saying, but they said the same thing about tracy mcgrady. Remember how boston passed over mcgrady TWICE in the first round because they thought he wasn’t big enough to bump with the big boys under the basket? Mcgrady turned out fine, took him a couple years to get up to speed, but he got there. Durant is 6-10, he’ll hold his own.
Pretty soon he’ll be able to pay someone to bench for him.
He can play basketball, I’m not the least bit worried about his bench press numbers.
SCENARIO:
Durant is drafted by seattle and plays versus golden state:
Durant drives to the hole! Oh between the legs, oh wait crossover oh Stephen Jackson’s ankles just got broken! Durant goes for the dunk, he’s up, WAIT! Andris Biedrins (lol) comes out of nowhere, jumps, meets Durant at the rim and swats the ball out of Durant’s weak hands sending him straight down to the hard court! No foul call from the refs; tuff luck for the rook.
Lol it’s going to be funny, the above situation is bound to happen at some point. But I bet tim duncan can’t bench press his weight either, or even get close like durant.
durant - 6’9 215lbs, bench <185
duncan - 6’11 260lbs, bench ?<225?
it’s funny sure but they are both good players no doubt. it will be funny to see durant next year try to drive against some one like ben wallace and then get knocked to the floor when he tries to shoot because wallace’s swat is so powerful.
[quote]YourXLNS wrote:
I don’t believe that I’m actually going to say this, but I know that people here always jump to conclusions.[/quote]
It’s sad that you had to write that, but too many people do lack the ability to nuance.
No one would say that lifting is not usually (almost always, even) helpful. But anyone who makes a huge deal out of Durant’s bench press is either trying to sell you something; or is a brainwashed fanboy.
I don’t think it’s a big deal, considering you will NEVER bench press during a game.
However, he does need to put on at least 25 pounds of muscle to even try to go into the lane, if he chooses to. And even if he just stays outside, he is still pretty skinny, and needs to put on some muscle. He’s only 19, so he has time. Imagine what Shaq will do to him the first time he comes in the paint.
A lot of people compare him to Kevin Garnett, and even though Garnett appears skinny for his size, he is very strong, hits the weights hard, and can bruise with the big boys.
What’s ironic is that University of Texas is supposed to have one of the best strength and conditioning programs in the country, if not THE best. Looks like they didn’t get around to Durant.
[quote]CappedAndPlanIt wrote:
MichaelJohnson wrote:
Just goes to show how insignificant the bench press is in athletic performance. I still don’t understand why they perform the bench press in combines, means absolutely nothing on the field.
I think too many people never grow out of that ninth grade “Oh you lift? Whats your bench??” mentality.[/quote]
This is a weight training website. What do you expect? Should we be talking about how many salads we eat, which flowers are blooming in the garden and what color is the in color this summer?
And like the hockey thread, failing to bench such a small amount of weight is funny and unexpected from a professional athlete.
[quote]hockechamp14 wrote:
allNatural wrote:
Something else I found funny was one host on sportscenter also saying something like “I don’t think it’s a factor because he has functional strength…he can keep his balance…” and so forth. wtf
Functional strength may be a buzzword in some cases, but here it’s used as the strength aspects necessary to perform well in a specific endeavor. I don’t know what’s so funny.
I don’t know why some people here think professional athletes need the strength of strongmen to be successful in their sport.[/quote]
because benching 185 would make him strong man strong.
[quote]texasguy wrote:
CappedAndPlanIt wrote:
MichaelJohnson wrote:
Just goes to show how insignificant the bench press is in athletic performance. I still don’t understand why they perform the bench press in combines, means absolutely nothing on the field.
I think too many people never grow out of that ninth grade “Oh you lift? Whats your bench??” mentality.
This is a weight training website. What do you expect? Should we be talking about how many salads we eat, which flowers are blooming in the garden and what color is the in color this summer?
And like the hockey thread, failing to bench such a small amount of weight is funny and unexpected from a professional athlete. [/quote]
In a diet thread, sure, we should talk about salads.
In a thread about gardening, sure, we should talk about what flowers are blooming.
In a thread about fashion, we should talk about what colors are “in” this season.
And in a thread about a specific sport (or someone who plays a specific sport), we should care about things that apply to that thread/person.
I’m sorry that you cant grow out of the “The bench is the most important lift ever!!” mentality. Being able to lay on your back and push a bar into the air isnt that important to a basketball player.
Again:
Why aren’t powerlifters tested for their one mile time?
Everybody knew that he was not very strong before this, so I don’t see what the big deal is. I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t average at least 20 points and 7 rebounds in his rookie season, and he has plenty of time to get stronger.
He’s going to be a great player who helps turn a franchise around. The amount of weight that he benches is not of much importance.
he definitely needs to get his strength up. of course the bench press isn’t the perfect measure for that, but i read an article about chris paul (who is 6’ 170 lbs or something) benching 225 for 6 reps easily. at his size that’s what makes him able to absorb contact and drive into the lane all day. durant can’t just shoot jump shots in the NBA
Imagine being 6’10" and benching with those long arms and the distance that bar-bell will be traveling.
[quote]EmperialChina wrote:
Imagine being 6’10" and benching with those long arms and the distance that bar-bell will be traveling.[/quote]
No shit. Body mechanics for benching sucks for this guy.
He’s not some T-Rex with short stubby arms and a huge rib cage who’s built to bench.
But at the same time…185? Child’s play.
Tayshaun Prince anybody? I don’t know how strong he is, but he is also pretty fricken lanky and seems to be doing fine.
[quote]CappedAndPlanIt wrote:
texasguy wrote:
CappedAndPlanIt wrote:
MichaelJohnson wrote:
Just goes to show how insignificant the bench press is in athletic performance. I still don’t understand why they perform the bench press in combines, means absolutely nothing on the field.
I think too many people never grow out of that ninth grade “Oh you lift? Whats your bench??” mentality.
This is a weight training website. What do you expect? Should we be talking about how many salads we eat, which flowers are blooming in the garden and what color is the in color this summer?
And like the hockey thread, failing to bench such a small amount of weight is funny and unexpected from a professional athlete.
In a diet thread, sure, we should talk about salads.
In a thread about gardening, sure, we should talk about what flowers are blooming.
In a thread about fashion, we should talk about what colors are “in” this season.
And in a thread about a specific sport (or someone who plays a specific sport), we should care about things that apply to that thread/person.
I’m sorry that you cant grow out of the “The bench is the most important lift ever!!” mentality. Being able to lay on your back and push a bar into the air isnt that important to a basketball player.
Again:
Why aren’t powerlifters tested for their one mile time?
[/quote]
yet this is a thread about Kevin Durant not being able to bench 185 even once.
i think squats are the most important lift actually, but i think well rounded strength is best.
and i probably would laugh about most power lifters 1 mile time too.
you are more sensitive than my girlfriend.
it’s funny in a way watching sports bloopers is funny. i’m not saying he’s a bad basketball player, but to be that weak in his upper body is pretty funny, just like it would be funny if a pass slipped through his hands and hit him in the face.
[quote]jYsP wrote:
he definitely needs to get his strength up. of course the bench press isn’t the perfect measure for that, but i read an article about chris paul (who is 6’ 170 lbs or something) benching 225 for 6 reps easily. at his size that’s what makes him able to absorb contact and drive into the lane all day. durant can’t just shoot jump shots in the NBA[/quote]
exactly. to get the rebounds others are mentioning, he’s definately going to have to build his size and upper body strength. it’s not like the ball will just bounce right to him. he’ll have to fight for it like everyone else, and if everyone else is bigger and stronger, he’ll just get pushed around.
shaq is good due to his size, karl malone was too, rodman was thinner but strong enough to push people around, any one successful in the paint is relatively large and strong.
[quote]texasguy wrote:
jYsP wrote:
he definitely needs to get his strength up. of course the bench press isn’t the perfect measure for that, but i read an article about chris paul (who is 6’ 170 lbs or something) benching 225 for 6 reps easily. at his size that’s what makes him able to absorb contact and drive into the lane all day. durant can’t just shoot jump shots in the NBA
exactly. to get the rebounds others are mentioning, he’s definately going to have to build his size and upper body strength. it’s not like the ball will just bounce right to him. he’ll have to fight for it like everyone else, and if everyone else is bigger and stronger, he’ll just get pushed around.
shaq is good due to his size, karl malone was too, rodman was thinner but strong enough to push people around, any one successful in the paint is relatively large and strong. [/quote]
None of them were running around shooting 3’s, getting steals, and guarding perimeter players. Rodman got rebounds because all he thought about was rebounds and he was quickest to the ball.
Chris paul is naturally 40lbs lighter than the average player in the NBA, but can’t run as much as Iverson, T.J. Ford or the other skinny guards, he needs to be able to bench 225.