Throughout his 15 NBA seasons, Kevin Durant has played with over 140 different teammates.
One of the highest IQ stars of his generation whose love for the game is perhaps unrivaled, the future Hall of Famer understands exactly what it takes to succeed at the highest level.
Impressing KD is no small feat. The four-time scoring champ reserves his praise for those who truly break through the noise beyond the superficial. And although Durant has only been playing with Yuta Watanabe for a few months, he has already been extremely impressed with his new teammate.
In an interview with Boardroom, Durant raved about Watanabe's hustle, fundamentals, and skill.
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Durant on Watanabe's energy and hustle
Watanabe has become a fan favorite in all of his NBA stops because of the constant energy he brings to his teams. Durant has noticed that as well.
"I think I might have to tell him at this point, relax a bit," Durant said. "He flying around everywhere. I look up, and Yuta's on the floor. He flipped over somebody, he'll try to chase a rebound, fall, and hop back up so quick. I'm about to start telling him, yo, we need you on the floor bro. I know you're playing so hard, but some of these possessions, you might just have to jab at it a little bit and wait for the next opportunity. That's probably something he'll ignore me on, because he plays extremely hard on every possession."
Watanabe's hustle has come in handy numerous times this season, including when he helped seal a win for the Nets with his offensive rebounding.
Yuta Watanabe hustled for offensive boards on back-to-back plays in the final minutes.
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 11, 2022
Led to 5 critical points for the Nets
Great to see Yuta back from his injury and continuing to make game-winning plays. pic.twitter.com/mqPFHM8njT
That should mean a lot coming from Durant. He's led the league in scoring five times and 17th in NBA history in 3-pointers made.
Durant on Watanabe's fundamentals and jump shot form
Watanabe is leading the NBA in 3-point percentage at 53.2 percent. That's no fluke, according to Durant. He praised Watanabe's new shooting form and acceptance of his role as a spot-up shooter.
MORE: The two improvements helped Yuta Watanabe become the NBA's most accurate shooter
"He in the right spot. His jump shot is looking solid right now. His fundamentals look perfect on that joint. I'm happy for him. Anybody that comes in here, you don't know what kind of opportunity you're going to get and you find your role so fast, that's what the NBA's about today."
Durant on Watanabe's potential to earn a big new contract
Durant is well aware of Watanabe's free agency status. Watanabe signed on a one-year deal on the NBA's minimum salary and will be a free agent this summer.
Players with shooting, defense, and size are among the most coveted in the league. Watanabe will assuredly earn a big pay jump this summer.
"He's one of those people that, if we don't lock him down, a lot of people are going to want him," Durant said.
Barring any major trades, the Nets will have their taxpayer mid-level exception available to re-sign Watanabe to a contract starting at up to around $7 million annually next summer. If he commands more than that in the open market, then he will have to switch teams.
