USA Basketball is looking to bring home the gold this summer in Paris. Kevin Durant will be looked to for leadership and scoring. Durant is one of the all-time great NBA players. He is also one of the absolute best to play for USA Basketball.
KD
Kevin Wayne Durant was born on September 29, 1988. Durant is from Washington, D.C. The Nation’s Capital has produced some legendary basketball talent, with KD possibly topping the list. He was a standout in High School and the basketball nation was watching KD at a very young age.
Texas
Durant would play college basketball for the University of Texas. He exceeded expectations in his sole season with Texas. He was a first-team All-American and the first freshman to earn National College Player of the Year honors. He dominated in his single season at Texas, and he then decided to move on to the biggest stage in basketball, the NBA.
Pro Career
KD would be selected by the now defunct Seattle Supersonics with the second pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. His rookie season, and sole season in Seattle, was impressive. He proved to the basketball world that he was a star. He easily brought home the NBA Rookie of the Year award and gave Sonics fans hope for the future.
OKC
The hope KD provided Sonics fans was unfortunately short lived. The Seattle Supersonics franchise left Seattle, right after his rookie season, due to disputes with the city over a new stadium to play in. The Sonics, along with their young superstar Durant, would relocate to Oklahoma City and become the Thunder. KD became a superstar in Oklahoma City. He was a multiple time all-star and brought home an MVP Trophy in 2014. Personal success was achieved by KD as a member of the Thunder. Unfortunately, the Oklahoma City Thunder could not bring home a Championship Trophy while KD was a member of the squad.
Warrior
In 2016, Durant made the biggest decision of his career. When KD decided to join the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2016 the sports world went mad. Many were excited to see the all-star join the powerhouse team. Many others were critical of the decision. The Warriors already won a title before KD joined, and the Golden State squad that he joined, just eliminated KD and his OKC team from the playoffs just a few months prior. Despite the criticism, KD’s time in Golden State was stellar. He would lead the Golden State Warriors to back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. He also won Finals MVP in both Championship runs. KD only spent three seasons in Golden State, but those three seasons are arguably the best of his career.
Moving On
KD would next join the Brooklyn Nets. Despite having a strong roster around him, KD was not able to achieve playoff success with Brooklyn. He would play for Brooklyn from 2019-2023. In 2023, KD would be traded to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns have been close to winning a championship the last few seasons. It is believed by many in the basketball world that Durant is the missing piece for the Suns. Can KD lead the Phoenix Suns to a championship and earn himself a third ring?
Legacy
Kevin Durant’s ability to score, and score efficiently, is legendary. His height, skill, and work ethic are second to none. He already has three gold medals in Olympic play (2012, 2016, 2020). Durant is looking for four straight gold medals this summer. An incredible accomplishment for an all-time great basketball player.
- Adam C. Better
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