NBA calling Durant

The speculation about the future of Texas freshman phenom Kevin Durant will do nothing but mushroom in the days to come.

The 6-foot-9 forward, who’s been called by some media as a cross between NBA standouts Kevin Garnett and Tracy McGrady, tried to stop the conversation in its tracks Sunday following Texas’ 87-68 drubbing at the hands of Southern California in the subregionals at the Arena.

“I don’t think that’s an appropriate question right now,” Durant said when asked about the process in which he will make his decision about whether to return to Texas or not.

Durant scored a game-high 30 points on 11-of-24 shooting. His points came on an array of shots – from 3-point range to guard-like drives. He reached 30 points for the 11th time, pushing his season total to 903 – the second highest by a freshman in NCAA history.

Texas coach Rick Barnes said he expects Durant to take plenty of time before making a decision.

USC coach Tim Floyd, who has coached in the NBA, was asked to size up the impact Durant could have in the NBA.

“He will be a guy that people are going to compare other players with,” Floyd said. “The thing that impresses me about him is his approach to how he’s gotten to this level of greatness. I wish that more players in our country understood that this kid wasn’t out playing street ball and wasn’t playing pick up games – that he was locked in a gym in (Washington) D.C. for seven years working on individual skills. He’s not great because he’s 6-10. He’s great because he knows how to play the game and he has a skill package that allows him to play.”