Kevin Durant has seen a thing or two throughout his 17-year career in the NBA. That said, it's safe to say he knows a star when he sees one.
After Durant's Suns saw their seven-game winning streak end at the hands of Scottie Barnes and the Raptors on Nov. 29, the two-time Finals MVP spoke glowingly of Toronto's rising star.
"[He's] just getting more and more comfortable, more experience is only going to make you better as a player," Durant told Yahoo's Bryan Meler.
"Darko [Rajakovic] is trusting him to bring the ball up the court more and play point forward and he's shooting 3s at a high [clip] right now, so, sky's the limit for him."
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Durant's praise came after a game in which Barnes finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks, all while shooting 7 of 15 from the field and a perfect 8 of 8 from the free throw line. Such performances are becoming the norm for Barnes in his third NBA season, as he's averaging career-highs across the board through 19 games.
| 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | |
| PTS | 15.3 | 15.3 | 19.1 |
| REB | 7.5 | 6.6 | 9.1 |
| AST | 3.5 | 4.8 | 5.5 |
| STL | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.6 |
| BLK | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
Barnes' third-year leap has largely been facilitated by Toronto's decision to hire Rajakovic, who, as Durant alluded to, has entrusted the former Rookie of the Year with more responsibilities.
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After experiencing some growing pains during a sophomore slump, Barnes' third season is a reminder that he has always remained on the trajectory of becoming a star, something he first put on display during his rookie campaign.
Unsurprisingly, Durant has seen Barnes' potential each step of the way.
As a rookie, Barnes' ninth NBA game came against Durant, who, at the time, was still a member of the Nets. After the game, Durant made it clear that he was blown away by Barnes' competitive fire and ability to process the game quickly at just 20 years old.
“How old is he? 19? 20? Sheesh!”
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 8, 2021
Kevin Durant on @Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes. pic.twitter.com/KuapUZZaHO
Even as Barnes struggled during his second season, Durant was quick to remind everyone that the ups and downs are part of the growth process, telling reporters, "You got a good one up here in Toronto" in December of 2022.
From being blown away in Year 1 to giving a measured reaction to Year 2 struggles and projecting astronomical things after a Year 3 leap, it's safe to say that Barnes has a fan in Durant.
When a future Hall of Famer is singing your praises, there's no doubt that you're doing something right.
