Kevin Durant on Thunder hiring Billy Donovan: 'I can't wait to get started'
Thunder star Kevin Durantcommented Thursday on the news that the team has hired former Florida coach Billy Donovan as its next head coach.
Oklahoma City reportedly signed Donovan to a five-year deal worth roughly $30 million. The Thunder's announcement that it has hired Donovan comes less than two weeks after the team fired Scott Brooks.
Injuries limited Durant to only 27 games this season. The six-time All-Star and one-time Most Valuable Player is currently undergoing rehab after a third surgery on his right foot.
Durant downplayed Donovan's lack of NBA experience and said he has met Donovan only once but that he has spoken with some of Donovan's former players.
• MORE NBA: OKC's calculated risk with Donovan | Why Donovan left UF
"I reached out to Chandler Parsons and Mike Miller, and they just told me great things," Durant said. "Mike told me that he's real detailed and prepared. Every day is just another day for him to get better. And he's always looking to learn. I was excited when I heard that because that's the type of player I am, and I'm looking forward to learning from somebody else. It should be a good relationship. Like I said, I want to get a feel for him myself and for him to get a feel for me and just work from there."
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"It's going to take some time," he said. "I think just for him over the summer is big for him to get to know more guys. Obviously he's watched us before and knows what our strengths and weaknesses are as players.
"But I know he's going to do a good job because from what I've heard he works extremely hard, his attention to detail is one of the best and everybody's been telling me he's an NBA coach coaching in college. So I'm excited. I'm very excited to learn from him and get better from him and try my best to do whatever he tells me to do. I can't wait to get started."
Durant, 26, has played eight seasons in the NBA since being selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2007 draft. He can become an unrestricted free agent in 2016.
This season the Thunder went 45-37 and missed the playoffs.
• MORE NBA: Schedule | Grades | Awards | Playoff coverage | Finals picks
