Phoenix Suns superstar forward Kevin Durant has been named to his 11th All-NBA team, being selected to the All-NBA Second Team for the 2023-24 season by voters.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The 2023-24 Kia All-NBA Second Team:
▪️ Jalen Brunson of @nyknicks
▪️ Anthony Davis of @Lakers
▪️ Kevin Durant of @Suns
▪️ Anthony Edwards of @Timberwolves
▪️ Kawhi Leonard of @LAClippers pic.twitter.com/tVBSpRslG4— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 22, 2024
This is Durant’s fifth time making the second team, as he has also made the first team six times. His 11 All-NBA selections place him in a tie for the second most among active players and a tie for the 13th most in NBA history.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard also made the second team.
The All-NBA Teams were selected by a global panel of 99 sportswriters and broadcasters and this was the first time the teams were positionless.
Durant received the seventh-most votes total. He had two first-team votes, 85 second-team votes and nine third-team votes. This combined to 274 total points (first team= 5 points, second team= 3 points, third team= 1 point).
The complete voting results for the 2023-24 Kia All-NBA Team: pic.twitter.com/KrG4Fjc9pW
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 22, 2024
Durant’s star Suns teammate, Devin Booker, made the All-NBA Third Team.
Even at age 35 and five years removed from an Achilles tear, Durant still averaged the fifth-most points in the NBA at 27.1 per game on 52.3/41.3/85.6 shooting splits to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists across 75 games for the 49-33 Suns.
“I don’t know why everyone else was surprised,” Suns general manager James Jones said of Durant playing 75 games this season last month. “You don’t become one of the all-time greats by watching basketball. You play it. And he’s a guy that spends every non-practice hour trying to figure out how he can be a better pro. And if you do that, if that’s your life, you get the results that you get. I’m not surprised he played 75 (games), I think he said the other day, like, if it weren’t for someone falling into his knee, he probably would have played this number of games. To be honest with you, if it wasn’t for us and him just being prudent, he’s the guy that would try to play 82 games, because he cherishes every moment on the court.”
“I don't know why everyone else was surprised … he's a guy that spends every non-practice hour trying to figure out how he can be a better pro”
“He’s the guy that would try to play 82 games”#Suns GM James Jones to our @brendan_mau on Kevin Durant playing 75 games at age 35 pic.twitter.com/lAD2jXG92D
— Burn City Suns Talk ????️ (@BurnCitySuns) April 16, 2024
Following this season, Durant has the eighth-most points in NBA history, but also had one of his best defensive seasons in his career this year. He finished averaging 1.5 blocks, 0.5 steals and was top-7 among players who played over 65 games in DIFF%, per NBA.com. This means players shot 3.7% worse against Durant, listed at 6-foot-11 and 240 pounds, than their usual field goal percentage.
Durant did not end up getting selected to his first All-Defensive team, but did finish ninth in MVP voting.
Even though the Suns season did not end well, Durant still had one of his best statistical years ever, and it is now cemented with this All-NBA selection.
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau.
