The guy could do all he can hit threes, he can attack the rim.

But his signature shot, his unstoppable mid range jumper, is what makes him totally unique.

A dazzling display from Kevin Durant, 43 points throughout Durant's remarkable career, NBA shooters have fallen head over heels in love with three pointers, and they've increasingly stayed away from mid range jumpers.

Look, a James Harden shot locations.

He basically only shoes at the rim or beyond the York.

Now look at K D.

Who fills it up from everywhere.

Conventional wisdom in the modern MBA is that mid range shots are foolish and they are becoming a dying art.

And the data tells us why.

Since 2013, 14 n b A mid range jumpers have yielded just 0.82 points were shot not good at all, especially compared to three pointers, which are at 1.8 points per shot over that same span.

For virtually all MBA players, a three pointer is just a better choice.

However, Durant is different.

He is so unusually efficient in the mid range that the conventional wisdom simply does not apply to him.

Kevin Durant's homecoming night here in D.

C on young Mahinmi needs to break after that.

Since 2013 14, he is the only player toe average better than a point per shot when taking a mid range jumper.

99 players during that span have attempted at least 1000 non main twos, and nobody has been efficient is Durant.

And this season, after returning from his brutal Achilles injury, he is averaging 1.9 points per shot from the mid range.

Durant catch Splash It's been awesome to see Durant pick up right where he left off.

He's still one of the world's best scores in these insane mid range numbers this season.

Just proved that, but it gets crazier.

Durant is putting up these dominant numbers despite intense defensive attention.

Over the same time span, 95% of his mid range tries have been contested according to second spectrum estimates.

If an ordinary MBA player took the exact same mid Rangers that Katie has taken since 2013, they would convert a measly 36% of them.

But Durant has made nearly half of them and folks.

That's what makes Durant's mid range game so darn special.

It's unguardable.

Why Katie special blend of lank skill and touch enabled him to create shots it will, while his uber high release point prevents even the most athletic defenders in the league from being able to block his shot.

One of the best players that I've ever played against that this league has ever seen his ability to handle the ball shoot the ball, you know, make plays at his length of his size of his speed, and he became the toughest matchup.

But I've had to deal with in my entire career outside of Tracy McGrady.

Don't forget.

Durant plays like a wing, but he's basically a seven footer with a 7 ft five wingspan.

You could be perfect as a defender.

Put yourself in the right place with a textbook contest, and you still won't bother his shot.

That's why Durant doesn't have to rely on scheme or assist to get open looks.

He can create inefficient look, virtually any time in any place he wants Thio, and that's a big reason why his team's air always great on offense, especially in late clock situations.

when the clock is winding down, Durant's teams can just feed him the ball and let him go toe work.

Chances are, Katie will get them a great scoring chance.

Now the clock's winding down.

They look for Durant under five seconds to go because he can create a shot shoot over anyone.

I'm Kevin Durant.

You know who I am.

I don't know who I am.

I mean, he's Kevin Durant.

I promise we tried way didn't roll over.

Durant's mix of size handles and jumpers is unlike anything we've ever seen.

When he starts attacking the rim, defenders have to protect the paint.

But then Durant will just stop on a dime and teach you a classic mid range lesson.

But the's mid Rangers air more than just regular season gimmicks.

The mid range becomes even more important in the playoffs.

Over the course of a long, Siri's opponents make adjustments to counter act schematic advantages.

But there's no adjusting to a guy who can manufacture a bucket.

It will.

Durant's ability to use the entire floor has helped him win two finals MVPs as a member of the Warriors E.

Now Beverly hit him and Durant with a chance for a three point play.

He was the coach.

Would you tell us?

Dio, Thank you.

Take Thio.

We tried everything way, tried everything we had.

We had several different coverages for Katie and they didn't work.

Yeah, like like sometimes sometimes come across special people.

And it doesn't matter what you've sent to him.

There's no scheme.

It's no, it's no nothing.

If Katie's move sometimes feel like they belong to a bygone Aaron, well, maybe it's because they dio check this one out.

He backs Jeff Green down in the post before draining this gorgeous baseline fadeaway look familiar.

It should.

It's a move Michael Jordan used to call the windshield wiper, and MJ tortured defenders with it, especially later in his career.

But just like M.

J.

Durant is No.

One trick pony.

He can also dribble straight into his mid Rangers.

He's arguably the most gifted pull up shooter in the world right now.

And in case you think that's hyperbole, check out Steph Curry's reaction here.

Curry knows about great shooting, and he's downright giddy as he watches his teammate get to a clean mid range Look.

This is Durant with the mid range jumper Pure again.

There's a reason Durant won those final M V P awards.

He was the best scoring games that also included Curry and LeBron James.

Now Hood picks him up on the switch shot clock.

Five Kevin Durant Way.

Sure, the mid range game has fallen out of favor in recent years, but Durant's postseason triumphs vault him into a prestigious group of mid range shooters who have shown up in the league's biggest moments.

Durant, on the pull up, nails it well dating back to the 2013 14 season, when the league added, It's player tracking system.

Durant has been the most dominant midrange force off the five best mid range shooting seasons during that era.

Durant personally owns three of them, and he's on pace for another one right now.

Durant out top.

Thompson switched on to him.

It really doesn't matter something.

There's a reason Durant has been in the conversation for the best player in the world.

His handles in his size enabled him to create shots.

It will.

His unbelievable touch enables him to knock them down, and all of this is especially important within the context of a league that continues to trend toward three point shooting in a way from mid range scoring.

Because when games matter most, Durant has proven that those mid Rangers are still among the most valuable tools in the NBA mhm.