No ceiling on Durant’s draft hype

Don’t get us wrong, we’re crazy about Kevin Durant.

Until Greg Oden’s here’s-a-glimpse-of-what-I-can-do performance in the NCAA championship game, we actually thought Durant might be a better No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.

That aside, the things people are saying about Durant are mind-boggling. Keep in mind that Seattle has the No. 2 pick.

A selection, courtesy of columnist Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times, who is, coincidentally, a cousin of Corey Brewer, a probable lottery pick out of Florida:

* Washington Coach Lorenzo Romar: “[Durant] is kind of a cross between George Gervin and Bob McAdoo.”

* ESPN.com columnist Pat Forde: “He’s more of a big man than [Tracy] McGrady, a better shooter than Lamar Odom, more perimeter than [Kevin] Garnett.”

* Dan Wetzel, Yahoo.com: “This guy will bring more excitement than any guy in the draft since LeBron [James]. He’s mesmerizing to watch.... Carmelo Anthony with a much deeper jump shot.”

With apologies to Wetzel’s employer, none of these commentators are yahoos, and all of them are respected for their knowledge.

But here’s the line that really gets us:

Portland assistant coach Maurice Lucas on Durant: “A bigger Dr. J.”

Trivia time

The NHL and NBA playoffs are finished. The College World Series is over.

In the doldrums of early summer, what sports team was the only one among the 20 most-searched terms on AOL last week?

Tiger baby

He promised pictures, and he kept his word. One of the loveliest family shots you’ll ever see is at tigerwoods.com.

And take note: Sam Alexis has such long fingers she looks as if she could wrap her hands around a golf club already.

Body shop, please

A vintage car that has served as the Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech since 1961 was wrecked by accident as it was being towed to Savannah, Ga., to be used in a wedding.

Tech officials said they hope to have the 1930 Model A Sports Coupe repaired by football season.

Let’s see the insurance adjuster figure this one out.

Gag me

Of all the crazy sports injuries we’ve encountered, this one might take the prize.

Takeru Kobayashi, a Japanese man who once set a world record by eating 53 3/4 hot dogs in 12 minutes, is day-to-day with jaw arthritis.

Kobayashi can only open his mouth to make a gap the size of a fingertip, Agence France-Presse reports.

In a blog entry titled “Occupational Hazard,” Kobayashi wrote, “My jaw refused to fight any more.”

Some wonder if Kobayashi -- who holds the records for cow brains (57 in 15 minutes) and rice balls (20 pounds in 30 minutes) -- might be feeling the strain of competition.

Joey Chestnut, a San Jose man, surpassed Kobayashi’s hot dog record this month by eating 59 1/2 wieners.

He won a trip to New York, a $250 gift card -- and a year’s supply of hot dogs.

Eager beavers

Jim Copeland, a fan from Lakeview, Ore., drove 1,500 miles to Omaha to watch Oregon State win its second consecutive College World Series title despite being called for jury duty.

The Oregonian newspaper in Portland reports Copeland might be in less trouble than Lane Simpson, the Lake County Circuit Court judge in whose court Copeland was supposed to appear.

Why? The men were standing together outside the stadium before Oregon State’s first game against North Carolina.

“I came out to get him,” Simpson said, smiling. “I wasn’t about to send a jury clerk on this job.”

Trivia answer

The Dallas Cowboys.

And finally

David Parkin, an Oregon State graduate in the stands to see the Beavers win, put it simply to the Oregonian, “When I was there, we won five football games in five years. That’s why I had to be here.”

robyn.norwood@latimes.com