Kevin Durant on UK basketball signee: ‘You talk about a scorer — this guy’s it’

NBA superstar Kevin Durant took to his YouTube channel this week to break down film of some of the top players in high school basketball.

In a video posted Tuesday morning, Durant watches game tape from Overtime featuring five-star recruits and offers comments on each prospect. The watch list included UK signee Keldon Johnson and top remaining UK target Zion Williamson.

Durant mentions that he had a chance to see Johnson — the No. 14 overall player in the 2018 rankings — at Nike’s Peach Jam event over the summer, and he came away impressed.

“You talk about a scorer — this guy’s it,” Durant said. “He’s athletic, nice with the right hand. It’s hard to stop him going right. … I think the next step for him though is just figuring out how to play at each level he goes to — figuring out the team game. Because he’s got everything you need one-on-one.

“If you need a scorer, man, this guy’s who you need.”

Johnson — a 6-foot-6 wing — committed to Kentucky earlier this month and signed with the Wildcats in the fall period.

The top 2018 recruit who remains unsigned is Williamson, the 6-6 small forward from South Carolina ranked No. 2 overall nationally.

Williamson has narrowed his list to Kentucky, Clemson Duke, Kansas, North Carolina and South Carolina, but he has not yet set a date for his college decision.

“Everybody knows this guy,” Durant says, noting that he’s been watching Williamson for a couple of years now. “He’s just a bull in a china shop. He’s a freakish athlete. Like a once-in-a-generation-type athlete.”

While video of Williamson’s powerful finishes around the rim play on the right side of the screen, Durant lets out a “goodness” on the left side.

“In transition, it’s kind of hard to stop this dude — like nearly impossible,” Durant says. “You can’t have any space around him. If you give him space, he’s taking off. He gets to the rim.”

Durant also breaks down film of Scottie Lewis — a class of 2019 wing with an early scholarship offer from Kentucky — and Cole Anthony, a point guard from the 2019 class who has been on UK’s recruiting radar in the past.

This story was originally published November 28, 2017 at 2:07 PM with the headline "Kevin Durant on UK basketball signee: ‘You talk about a scorer — this guy’s it’."