Kevin Durant’s Weird New Spinning Shooting Drill Is Mesmerizing

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Among the many things the Golden State Warriors are known for these days, their unique warmup routines are certainly one of them. It’s something Stephen Curry has been doing for years, and the rest of the squad has followed his lead. Curry’s done it all, from going a ridiculous 5-for-5 on 40-foot jumpers to intricate ball-handling drills. Curry’s pregame rituals have become appointment viewing for Warriors fans at Oracle Arena.

Kevin Durant has also kicked the weirdness of his pregame routine up a notch. It started with this hoop-pad-bear-hug curl for a corner jumper and has slowly escalated from there.

Prior to Wednesday night’s match-up with the Charlotte Hornets, fans filmed Durant going through his pregame routine. Durant’s workout culminated in this mesmerizing full pirouette, Dirk Nowitzki-esque one-footed jumper.

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Kevin Durant's new warmup routine… 😂😂 (via /r/NBA)

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If you’re left wondering what sort of on-court application shooting jumpers like this could possibly have, you’re not alone. Regardless of Durant’s rationale, it’s kind of remarkable that he can pull something like this off with as much grace as he does considering his size and frame. In all likelihood, this is some kind of fancy new balancing drill, or simply an NBA player screwing around for a few minutes before tip-off. We’re inclined to choose the latter.

For as mesmerizing as Durant’s new workout is, though, it’s equally nerve-racking. Something about watching Durant spin and contort his knee, ankle, and foot like that is kind of unsettling. We’ve all seen enough non-contact injuries in the past, and this looks like Durant is asking for a twisted knee, or worse.

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