Background

Kevin Durant was born on September 29, 1988, in Washington, District of Columbia, United States, to Wanda Durant and Wayne Pratt. His father deserted the family when Kevin was an infant. Durant has a sister, Brianna, and two brothers, Tony and Rayvonne.

Education

Durant grew up loving sports. His grandmother was a strong influence, telling him that his height was a blessing. His success started with the PG Jaguars, an Amateur Athletic Union youth basketball team.

Kevin played for the National Christian Academy, Montrose Christian School, and for basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy. After his senior year, he received offers from top Division I colleges. Durant signed with the University of Texas Longhorns in Austin.

Durant started every game during his freshman year of college, averaging 25.8 points per game and 11 rebounds per game in 35 games.

Career

Durant was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics as the second overall pick of the 2007 NBA draft.

He was the lone bright spot in Seattle during his rookie campaign, as the team's new owners demanded a publicly funded arena that the city refused to finance, and the team's threat to relocate to another city kept fans away in droves. Durant averaged 20.3 points per game that season and was the runaway winner of the NBA Rookie of the Year award. His dynamic play could not heal the rift between the team and the city, however, and at season's end, the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. The relocation had no noticeable effect on Durant as he increased his scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals averages in his second season. He began a streak of five straight All-Star Game appearances and first-team All-NBA honours during the 2009-2010 season, when he also led the Thunder to the franchise's first playoff appearance in its new home. In 2011-2012 the Thunder - behind Durant's 28.5 points per game in the postseason - advanced to the NBA finals, where the team lost to the Miami Heat in a five-game series.

Kevin proved to be an increasingly difficult matchup as he honed his outside game - Durant could shoot over or run past plodding post defenders and tower over smaller guards. Beginning with the 2009-2010 season, dynamic Durant led the NBA in total points for five straight seasons and in scoring average four times (he finished second in 2012-2013). In his dominant 2013-2014 MVP season, he set career highs of 32 points and 5.5 assists per game (along with 7.4 rebounds per contest). The following season saw Durant play in just 27 games because of a fracture in his right foot and a troubled recovery process. He returned to form in 2015-2016, averaging 28.2 points per game and a career-high 8.2 rebounds per contest that season. In the playoffs, Durant led the Thunder to a 3-1 series lead in the conference finals over the Golden State Warriors, who had set an NBA record during the regular season by amassing 73 victories, but Oklahoma City ultimately lost the series in seven games. During the following off-season, Durant shocked the NBA by leaving the Thunder in free agency to sign with the Warriors.

In 2016-2017, playing on the most talent-laden team of his career, Durant continued to thrive with the Warriors, scoring 25.1 points per game while helping Golden State post the most wins in the league (67). The Warriors then set an NBA record by opening the postseason with 12 straight victories en route to a Western Conference title. The team's dominance continued in the NBA finals, as the Warriors lost just one game to the Cleveland Cavaliers en route to capturing the league championship. Durant averaged 35.2 points per game in the finals.

Durant averaged 26.4 points and a career-high 1.8 blocks per game during the 2017-2018 regular season. He once again excelled in the playoffs, leading the Warriors to another NBA title with a sweep of the Cavaliers.

Durant had another dominant regular season in 2018-2019, averaging 26 points per game and earning his 10th consecutive All-Star honour. He strained his calf during the Western Conference semifinals, but the Warriors managed to advance to the NBA finals without him. Golden State went down 3-1 to the Toronto Raptors in the series before Durant returned to attempt to rally his team to victory. In the second quarter of his first game back, he suffered a devastating tear to the Achilles tendon in the same leg of his previous calf strain, an injury that threatened to keep Durant off the court for a calendar year. (The Warriors ultimately lost the finals in six games.)

On June 30, 2019, Durant announced that he planned to sign with the Brooklyn Nets. He signed with Brooklyn on July 7, 2019, in a sign-and-trade deal.

In addition to his professional exploits, Durant was a member of the United States men's national basketball team that captured a gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

In 2013, Kevin opened a restaurant, KD's Southern Cuisine, in the Bricktown neighborhood. In 2016, he was a credentialed photographer for The Players' Tribune at Super Bowl 50.

He also tried his hand at acting, appearing in the children's film Thunderstruck. In 2017, Durant became involved with YouTube. In 2018, it was announced that Durant, in partnership with producer Brian Grazer's Imagine Television, would create a basketball-themed scripted drama for Apple.

In 2020, Durant served as an executive producer of Basketball County, a documentary about youth basketball in Durant's home county of Prince George's County, Maryland. He also became a minority owner of MLS side Philadelphia Union, acquiring a 5% stake with the possibility to add another 5% in the near future.

Achievements

• Kevin Durant is considered one of the best basketball players of all time. In college, he won numerous awards and became the first freshman to be named Naismith College Player of the Year. Kevin has also won two NBA championships, an NBA Most Valuable Player Award, two Finals MVP Awards, two NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Awards, four NBA scoring titles, the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, and two Olympic gold medals. Durant has also been selected to nine All-NBA teams and ten NBA All-Star teams.
  
  Kevin Durant is one of the highest-earning basketball players in the world. He has endorsement deals with companies such as Foot Locker and Nike. Durant was included in Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2018.

Works

More photos

• movie

  • The OffSeason: Kevin Durant

    (Prepare to connect with Kevin Durant in this revealing re...)

    2014
  • Thunderstruck

    (NBA All-Star Kevin Durant stars in his first major motion...)

    2012

Religion

Durant is one of basketball's most devout Christians. He attended a Christian school growing up and even now regularly attends church services before games. Durant carries a Bible in a backpack and thanks God for his blessings as a star basketball player - even when he loses.

Kevin also has religious tattoos on his stomach, wrist, and back.

Politics

Durant isn't too political. But he met with Obama and looked chummy. They shared a bro hug. Durant said of the meeting: "It was a good feeling to meet the president. Of course, I always wanted to do that. Me being from D.C., it was pretty cool to see him. I was excited to get that opportunity. It's something I'm always going to remember."

Views

Throughout his career, Durant has participated in philanthropic causes. He pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross for the victims of the 2013 Moore tornado. The next year, he partnered with KIND snacks and launched StrongAndKind.com to show "being kind is not a sign of weakness." Kevin is also a spokesperson for the Washington, D.C. branch of P'Tones Records, a nationwide non-profit after-school music program.

Quotations: "With everything I do, I just try to be myself."

"I'm just trying to grow. The one thing I told myself is, 'Don't worry about who people say is the best player.'"

"I just loved being in the gym. It was tough at times. Sometimes I wanted to quit, but I'm glad I stuck with it."

"I've got a long way to go to being the ultimate best but I think my time is now. And I'm starting to enter my prime."

"I always want to win because I never want to sit out on the sidelines outside."

"I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. I just know for sure I'm going to keep playing basketball."

"I'm a basketball player. That's what I do and what I love but that's just not all who I am. I'm talented in a lot of different areas."

"I'm busy working on every aspect of the game - defense, shooting, rebounding - but I really want to become a better overall team player. Help my teammates become better players out on the court in order to win more ball games."

"When people are used to doing something, they want you to stay in that lane."

"Every memory I had growing up was involving a basketball. I didn't go to the prom and stuff like that. It was always basketball for me."

"My mom just wants to make sure that my heart is always in whatever I do and I'm in things for the right reasons."

"I'm not a guy that's going to brag or feel like I'm better than the group."

"Everything has been such a whirlwind ever since I stepped foot in the league and everything has been like a dream, so I'm just blessed to be in this position."

"I can score the basketball, but I think I can pass pretty well or I can make the correct pass. I'm not the type of guy who's just going to throw the ball inbounds to a guy who's wide open. I can make the right pass."

"I just want to grow spiritually with God. I'm keeping strong at it, just trying to make my walk with faith a little better."

"The clothes are not making me, if I like it, that's all that matters. It's not about the clothes. It's about how I am as a person and how confident I am."

"You know, I don't want to stand out too much."

"My acting coach I've got here, Richard Lawson, he's been doing good, just telling me to calm down sometimes and just be me."

"I learned how to pass when I was real young. The one thing I always knew how to do was find an open man."

"Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard."

"So many people doubted me. They motivated me every single day to be who I am."

"It feels good to be a part of history."

"Basketball is a platform for me to inspire people."

"I've learned what it feels like to lose, believe me. But I think in the end, that is just going to make winning that much better."

"My wildest dreams are when I'm wide awake."

"In this league, experience means a lot."

"I want to show people who I really am, especially aspiring basketball players who want to be at this level. That's what I'm about."

"Chemistry is important. If you like teammates, it's going to be easier to play with them on the court."

"When you got people behind you, you can do whatever."

"Everything in my life, I had to take it. They are not going to give it to you out of sympathy. I wouldn't want it any other way."

"My style has changed and evolved mainly because I've grown to have more confidence in myself."

"With a versatile player, there's no spot on the court you can't pass him the ball. You can do anything."

"It's fun that I get to live out my dream every single day. It's a blessing. I can't lose sight of that and I've just got to keep pushing."

"Work harder than your opponent."

"I know that hard work got me here. And the day I stop working hard, this can all go away."

Personality

Kevin Durant is kind, generous, humble, and authentic. He is an exemplary role model in every sense of the word. His passion for the game is pure and his work ethic is unparalleled. He is the real deal.

Physical Characteristics: Kevin Durant is 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) tall and weighs 240 lb (109 kg).

On March 17, 2020, Durant tested positive for COVID-19. On April 1, 2020, it was announced that Durant was cleared and had recovered.

Quotes from others about the person

• Bobby Knight: "He's really good. The guy is 6-9, he is mobile, he's quick, he's fast. I mean what more does he have to do? There's no secret thing that he drinks before the game."
  
  Jay Bilas: "Kevin Durant is a more athletic Danny Manning."
  
  Dick Vitale: "Kevin Durant is the most prolific offensive skilled big perimeter player I've witnessed in many a year. His equals are three guys that made the jump from high school to the NBA: Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady and Dirk Nowitzki."
  
  Rick Barnes: "He's a once-in-a-lifetime guy."
  
  Kevin Pratt: "He's prepared almost his entire life for this and he's only going to get better."
  
  Pat Forde: "He's more of a big man than McGrady, a better shooter than Lamar Odom, more perimeter than Garnett."
  
  Lorenzo Romar: "He is kind of a cross between George Gervin and Bob McAdoo."
  
  Phil Jackson: "A lot of the referees are treating him like a superstar. He gets to the line easily and often."
  
  Shane Battier: "The guy is nearly seven feet tall and comes off screens shooting like Ray Allen."
  
  Rick Adelman: "He's got all the ability in the world and he keeps getting better."
  
  Mike Woodson: "He's a phenomenal player. He's beautiful to watch."
  
  Scott Brooks: "I love Kevin Durant. I love what he's about."
  
  Scott Brooks: "The guy is pretty amazing, that he's able to handle himself at such a young age."
  
  Zach Randolph: "Durant is a special player. He works hard, and he's one of my favorite players. I have to give him kudos and a lot of respect because you see what he does. He's just relentless."
  
  Justin Zormelo: "He's just so hungry to get better. He can do almost anything you can possibly do on the court, and he wants to do all those things and he wants to perfect them."

Interests

• playing video games

• Sport & Clubs

  basketball; Washington Football Team (formerly known as the Washington Redskins), Washington Nationals

• Athletes

  Michael Jordan

• Music & Bands

  rap, Biggie Smalls

Connections

Kevin Durant has previously been engaged to Monica Wright but he is not currently married. He recently dated 28-year-old estate agent Cassandra Anderson but the couple broke up.

Father:

Wayne Pratt

Mother:

Wanda Durant

Sister:

Brianna Pratt

Brother:

Tony Durant

Brother:

Rayvonne Pratt

ex-partner:

Monica Wright

(born July 15, 1988)

Monica Wright is an American basketball coach and former player. She played college basketball for Virginia and was selected second overall by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2010 WNBA draft.

ex-partner:

Cassandra Anderson

Friend:

D. J. Augustin

(born November 10, 1987)

D. J. Augustin is an American professional basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Friend:

Michael Beasley

(born January 9, 1989)

Michael Beasley is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Kansas State University for one year before declaring for the NBA draft in 2008.

References

• KD: Kevin Durant's Relentless Pursuit to Be the Greatest Golden State Warriors insider and bestselling author Marcus Thompson "paints a complex portrait and captures all the multitudes of a dynamic athlete trying to carve his legacy" with this definitive biography of one of the most extraordinary basketball players in NBA history - Kevin Durant.
  2019
• Epic Athletes: Kevin Durant In Epic Athletes: Kevin Durant, an award-winning sports journalist Dan Wetzel tells the inspirational true-life story of an NBA superstar.
  2020
• Kevin Durant's Instagram
• Kevin Durant's Twitter
• Kevin Durant's Facebook