What powers the Warrior: 5 things that set Kevin Durant apart from the rest

Kevin Durant has been a polarizing figure in the NBA ever since he decided to leave Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Golden State Warriors, making what was possibly the strongest roster in professional basketball even more powerful.

Now, just over a year after moving to Oakland, he finds himself in an enviable position, having won the 2017 NBA title and also being crowned NBA Finals MVP in the process.

And now the man is coming to India to meet you! All you need to do is be among the top 5 shoppers of Kevin Durant merchandise on Jabong and you will get to meet the most sought-after star in the NBA!

He is the name on everyone’s lips right now and here's why we think the man from Washington stands apart from the rest:

#1 Taking up defensive responsibilities

Durant is one of the best athletes in the NBA, and has grown a couple of inches since he joined the league. Registered as 6'9", the small forward has definitely helped overcome the loss of Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes.

His ability to protect the rim and fight for rebounds, apart from guarding the opposition's best player on many occasions (LeBron James in the Finals), has helped the Warriors play multiple line-ups, with some of them featuring him at the centre position, maximising their ability to get stops and get out and play in transition.

#2 Fitting in seamlessly into the Golden State way

The one-two punch in the NBA

The 2016/17 season was the most efficient of Kevin Durant's NBA career so far, as he scored on almost 54% of his shots and became a much more rounded player overall, using his off-the-ball movement, smooth shooting and great court awareness to fit in seamlessly with the system played by the Warriors under Steve Kerr.

He was able to make himself an integral part of an offence that already featured two great talents in the form of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, making Golden State into an offensive juggernaut that teams had no answer to.

#3 Ability to deliver in big moments

Durant has delivered time and again

The Warriors essentially had it very easy in the playoffs as they almost clinched a complete sweep, eventually getting the Larry O'Brien trophy thanks to a 16-1 run in the postseason.

It was in game 3 of the NBA Finals, however, that saw his team's dominance being questioned late on as James and Irving ran riot. When the time came to respond, Durant stepped up, scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter, and 31 overall, to help his team come back from a big deficit to win by five.

The exclamation point came when he strolled up the court to knock down a pull-up three over LeBron James to give his team the lead.

#4 Mental strength to shut out critics

Durant has let his play on the court do the talking

Following his decision to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Warriors, there was a lot of criticism that came Kevin Durant's way for choosing to take the easy way out in his quest to win a Championship.

He was accused of being a glory hunter as he chose to join possibly the best team in the league as he felt his window of being able to win the title was narrowing down.

Despite receiving a lot of heat from peers and legends alike, the 28-year-old let his game do the talking as he notched up great numbers to help Golden State put up a great season, culminating in them winning their second NBA title in three years.

#5 Giving up money for continued success

Durant took less money for the coming season so that the Warriors could bring back Andre Iguodala in Free Agency

Despite the new collective bargaining agreement coming into force last season, Kevin Durant chose to forego about $6 million in his salary for the 2017/18 season to help keep a major chunk of the Golden State roster together.

The sacrifice made by the Washington native has helped the team re-sign key reserves Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, making the outfit the toughest one to beat in the league again.

His decision also helped the team's owners save money, as they will pay less in luxury tax now, while keeping a very strong core of their team together.

With this decision, he has helped the Warriors get even stronger and they will enter the 2017/18 season as favourites for the NBA title.

You can boast to your friends about meeting the strongest player in the league as the 28-year-old is coming to India with Jabong offering five fans a chance to meet him. All you have to do is to buy Kevin Durant merchandise on Jabong and the five shoppers with the highest value will get an all-expense paid trip to meet him.