The Kevin Durant Mock Draft -- Round 2, Picks 1 -- 3

Seven picks down, seven to go...just like the NFL, the second round of the Kevin Durant Mock Draft goes much quicker. Enjoy.

1) Ben D. -- Philadelphia 76ers

If there's ever been a city in more of a dire need of a sports savior, i've never seen it. granted, they've got the worst fans in the country (they threw batteries at mike schmidt, for crying out loud!!), but if anybody can bring them together, it's young kevin. raw, unlimited talent combined with his naivete and pure love of the game separates him from the elite sports stars the city has known over the years - he doesn't have iverson's thuggishness, mcnabb's mom, mike schmidt's mustache, or eric lindross's hockey playing. seriously, who plays hockey? kevin in philly would basically make him the next rocky balboa in the philly fans' eyes. he would immediately become their favorite son. for about a week. then, wow. good luck, kev.

2) Peter -- Portland Trailblazers
My second round choice for Durant was an easy one... at least when you consider the other cities available:

New York: If every Isaiah Thomas joke hadn't already been made before, I'd make one here. No way I want the Knicks to squander KD.

Charlotte: No. No. NO.

Seattle: Maybe if they move to Oklahoma City... Until then: no.

Sacramento: Do you want Kevin Durant to have daily contact with Ron Artest? Me, neither.

Clippers: And let Bill Simmons see him play every day? Over my dead body.

That left Portland, a team I liked back in the (Rasheed, Sabonis, Stoudamire) day, and one that's becoming increasingly easier to like again: Lamarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy give the team an exciting young nucleus to work from, and adding Durant just makes them the most interesting young team in the league. Works for me.

3) Ziggy -- New York Knicks

Let's face it... New York is the world's biggest stage. Madison Square Garden is the arena of arenas - it has it's own television network, for Vince's sake! If Kevin Durant is not going to be in my hometown, as he should be, star of the team in the biggest media market on earth is probably the next best thing. The Knicks, with a superstar, will be on tv all the time - good for KD fans everywhere! They'll be NBA Christmas Day game participants. Shaq vs. Kobe is tired and the Big Apple is ready. Put Kevin at the core and New York is back. Make a Longhorn great New York's biggest basketball star and see if highly-rated recruits from the New York area, of which there are plenty, don't start giving Texas and Rick Barnes a second look. Start spreadin' the news!