Athletes in Focus: Kevin Durant
Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant shoots during the Three-Point Contest part of 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend in Orlando, the United States, Feb. 25, 2012. Zhang Jun/ZUMA Press/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: zumasportsworldtwo143125
In a league that is known for extra large egos and a never ending need to find a bigger spotlight Kevin Durant continues to remain humble as he begins to dominate the NBA. In his short career Durant has racked up many personal accolades and has now put the Oklahoma City Thunder in a position to make a run at the top prize, the NBA championship.
Growing up in Maryland Durant began to play basketball at the age of 7 when his mother Wanda Pratt put Kevin and his brother Anthony on a team at the boys and girls club. Pratt thought basketball would help her boys focus on the lessons she was teaching them as they grew up. It was a couple of years later that Coach Charles Craig saw Durant and asked him to try out for Craig’s team. Durant made the team and Craig coached him and other future stars to multiple AAU championships.
Tragically on April 30, 2005 Durant suffered the loss of his coach. Following a fight that Coach Craig broke up, one of the participants found Craig later in the day and shot him multiple times in the back. Craig died at the age of 35. A year later Durant went on to become a McDonald’s All American and earned co-MVP honors at 2006 McDonald’s All American game along with Chase Budinger. Durant then signed to play college basketball at the University of Texas where he wore the number 35 in remembrance of Coach Craig.
Kevin Durant #3 of the West team dunks during the McDonalds All American boys Basketball game at Cox Arena in San Diego, CA. John Green/Cal Sport Media/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: csmphoto009068
Texas player Kevin Durant (35) gets fouled while going for a shot against Oklahoma's Longar Longar back during the Oklahoma Sooners loss 68-58 to the Texas Longhorns at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman OK. Larry Smith/Icon SMI 769/Larry Smith/Icon SMI/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: iconphotos767672
Durant spent only one year at Texas, but it was a productive year. The Longhorns were a No. 4 seed in the tournament but lost to USC in the second round. Durant took home a number of honors in March including, the NABC Division I Player of the Year, the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the Adolph F. Rupp Trophy, the Associated Press college player of the year, the Naismith Award and the John R. Wooden Award. Despite the hardware, there was a debate going into the draft about Greg Oden of Ohio State vs. Durant. Portland decided to go with Oden first overall and Seattle quickly picked Durant with the second pick.
Seattle SuperSonics' Kevin Durant drives to the basket past Utah Jazz' Kyle Korver during the second half at the Key Arena in Seattle on February 13, 2008. Durant scored 19 points in the Jazz 112-93 win over the SuperSonics. JIM BRYANT/UPI/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: upiphotos835942
The first NBA season was not much different than his only college season. Durant averaged 20.3 points a game and took home the Rookie of the year award. Fallowing the season the Super Sonics moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. In 2010, following years of rebuilding with included Durant, the Thunder made a playoff splash pushing the Lakers to 6 games. It was clear that the Thunder were going to be a force for years to come. Durant led the team to a Western Conference finals appearance just one year later where they lost to Dallas.
This season the Thunder go into the playoffs as the 2 seed, the highest seed they have ever had. Now Durant and the stars around him are looking to again build on past success by bringing home a championship.
Oklahoma City Thunder player Kevin Durant goes in for a dunk against the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half of the game at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, 14 April 2010. LARRY W. SMITH/EPA/Newscom Find it on Newscom.com: epaphotosfour053474
If Durant does win a NBA championship in June the celebration will have to be kept short. Durant was selected to represent the USA as part of the 2012 Olympic Basketball team at the London Olympics. Durant has been close to making the team before after being invited in 2007, but he was cut because other had more experience and then he was one of the final cuts before the 2008 games in Beijing. Durant was finally made a member of the USA team for the 2010 World Championships where they were able to take home gold.
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US player Kevin Durant -best player of the Tournament- jubilates the victory of the team against Turkey during their World Basketball Cup Final match played at Sinan Erden Spor Salonu pavilion of Istambul, Turkey on 12 September 2010. EFE/Luis Tejido/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: efephotos060710
USA player Kevin Durant bites his gold medal during the ceremony of the FIBA World Basketball Championship final match between Turkey and USA in Istanbul, Turkey, 12 September 2010. GEORGI LICOVSKI/EPA/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: epaphotosfour445912
Win or lose the 23 year old Durant will be making runs at NBA Championships and Gold Medals for years to come. Alongside the humble star will be his mother who continues to be right beside him.
To see more photos from Kevin Durant’s career check out Newscom.
Oklahoma City Thunder's forward Kevin Durant (R) reaches to hug and kiss his mother, Wanda Pratt after the Thunder defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 7 of their second round Western Conference NBA basketball playoffs in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, May 15, 2011. BILL WAUGH/REUTERS/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: rtrlfour582973
Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City Thunder attends a promotional event of NIKE on July 10, 2011 in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China. ChinaFotoPress/ChinFotoPress/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: cfpphotos073464
Portland Trail Blazers player Marcus Camby (R) goes for a rebound against Oklahoma City Thunder player Kevin Durant (L) in the first half of the game at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, 28 March 2010. LARRY W. SMITH/EPA/Newscom. Find it on Newscom.com: epaphotosfour042490
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