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How Kevin Durant made Nuggets forward Peyton Watson’s dream come true
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- How Kevin Durant made Nuggets forward Peyton Watson’s dream come true
How Kevin Durant made Nuggets forward Peyton Watson's dream come true appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
A success story in the NBA never gets old. Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson's path to the league was not paved with glowing reviews and instant minutes.
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His one-and-done stint with UCLA was not ideal, as he only averaged 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds off the bench. His lone year was also made more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Still, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected him as the 30th overall pick in 2022 before trading him to the Nuggets. He won a ring in his rookie year. He, however, was still glued to the bench.
Watson kept working. A special moment with Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant when he was still a teenager probably inspired him to keep pushing.
"Durant helped Watson believe that even if he was skinny, he could still be a 'killer' on the court with his body type. When Watson was 16 years old, Durant saw him play," according to a post by the NBA.
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"Impressed, Durant invited him to play pickup basketball in the summer. Watson told ESPN, 'It was an absolute dream come true.'"
Clearly, it was a significant moment for Watson, who has never forgotten the kindness of Durant.
With the Nuggets stricken with injuries to Nikola Jokic , Aaron Gordon , Cam Johnson , and Christian Braun , the 23-year-old Watson was thrust into the spotlight .
He hasn't disappointed, even being recently named Player of the Week in the Western Conference after averaging 24.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.8 blocks. The Nuggets went 3-1 in that week.
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Watson's role has exponentially increased over the years. If he keeps it up, it won't be long until he replicates some of Durant's achievements .
Some say don't meet your heroes because you'll end up disappointed. Watson would beg to differ.
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Related: Nuggets 'optimistic' for Nikola Jokic injury return in coming weeks
