Playing against Kevin Durant made Paolo Banchero feel helpless.

Paolo Banchero understands what it takes to be a pure scorer. Every time he looks in the mirror, he notices one. Banchero, the No. 1 overall choice in 2022 and the betting favorite to win Rookie of the Year, is averaging 21.7 points per game and has all the makings of a future scoring champion. He makes things off the dribble. He's a force in the paint. He contributes at all three levels and will almost definitely grow into a strong 3-point shooter in the future. He's already getting to the free-throw line like a pro. However, Banchero has never witnessed something like Kevin Durant. Banchero recalled on a late November game in Brooklyn in which Durant scored 45 points (still his season best) in a recent interview on JJ Redick's "Old Man and the Three" podcast, calling KD's pure and game-long bucket-getting his "Welcome to the NBA moment."

Banchero explained: “"I defended [Durant] for the majority of the game, and there wasn't much you could do." You know, some people get a lot of free throws or play with the officials and get calls, and that's how they score 14 points from the line or something. But KD was all business. As in, I wasn't saying anything to the officials. He only hit four or five free throws, but he had 45. So the majority of those were buckets. That game, I believe he missed five shots. So simply having that experience and trying to protect him, he was the only guy I think I've guarded in my life where I felt helpless, "Banchero went on. "You know, a guy can typically take some jabs at me, but I can fluster him a little." I can go into him and make him miss a few times. But, you know, he's not even looking at me right now. I'm trying to cut him off, and he's just like, "No, I'm still going to get to this location," and I'm still going to ascend up." "It was insane."

Paolo Banchero outplayed Kevin Durant

First and foremost, Banchero's numerical recall is impeccable. In this game, Durant scored 45 points. He hit four free throws (4-for-4) and missed five shots (19-for-24). That's 41 points on consecutive baskets.

Banchero, on the other hand, was a touch harsh on himself. He recalls not guarding Durant for the bulk of the game. He was regularly paired up on Durant, and when he wasn't turned off, Durant seemed unaffected by Banchero's presence. I returned to observe. When Banchero was his obvious opponent, Durant nailed four jumpers. He dribbled past Banchero for a sixth basket. Banchero started as Durant's defender but was move off by the time the shot was taken, the final of which came over the outstretched arms of 7-foot-2 Bol Bol, which is a whole other level of remarkable. All of these videos may be seen below.

The essence of what Banchero recalls is completely correct. Durant was unstoppable in this game, and as much as we all take it for granted after seeing him for so long, it's still incredible how easily he scores even when defenders are blanketing him. In many people's eyes, he is the purest scorer ever, and it's difficult to disagree with that. Durant's scoring isn't propped up by the crutch of foul-baiting, as Banchero stated, and while he can and does get to the rim frequently, he accomplishes the majority of his work with shots, and hotly contested ones at that. Given the shot diet he is on, his output and efficiency are astonishing.

Even when Banchero is screened off by Durant, he remains powerless as Durant prepares for every coverage Orlando throws at him. Banchero's overall impression is one of complete powerlessness. He's not the first person to feel this way about Durant, and he won't be the last. However, depending on how you classify some of these gray-area shots, Banchero only guarded approximately 25% of Durant's 19 hooping attempts on this night. And by scoring 24 points on his own, he got the best of Durant a couple times.