FanShot

ESPN - Who's the most promising small forward in the NBA?

28

4. Who's the most promising small forward in the NBA? Andrew Graham, via Facebook: The easy answer here is Kevin Durant. If you watched his performance in these playoffs you saw his abilities to take over late in games and as a leader. He is already a fabulous shooter and scorer, and if he adds more to his game (which he will), he may eventually take over the title of NBA's best player. Tim Donahue, Eight Points, Nine Seconds: Kevin Durant could be the one, because as tough as he is now, he could still make a jump to the level where Dirk Nowitzki played this postseason. Rudy Gay was becoming a more complete player before his injury. If you want to the most untapped potential, perhaps Danilo Gallinari fills the bill. Patrick Hayes, Piston Powered: We haven't even seen him play a minute of NBA basketball yet, but I'll go with Derrick Williams. He rebounds with the aggression of a power forward, has the ability to finish ferociously in traffic and has a soft touch on his outside shot. If he truly is a small forward as he insists, his skill set could redefine the position. Brendan Jackson, Celtics Hub: I wish I could give Wolves fans a reason to be pumped about Wes Johnson, but it's not his time. The only answer is Kevin Durant. He's a perennial MVP candidate and he's still just 22 years old with plenty of room to grow. Kyle Weidie, Truth About It: I'll go with a guy who hasn't played an NBA minute, and who regrets he even entered the draft: Derrick Williams. Why? Because he insists he's a small forward (not power). His talent on display in the NCAA tournament was enough to make me a believer.