Kevin Durant Bio And Facts

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is an American basketball player that plays for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. He is known as one of the most talented scorers in NBA history. Durant played basketball at the University of Texas for one year before entering the NBA Draft. He was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics (now the Oklahoma City Thunder) with the second overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. While playing for the Thunder, Durant led the league in scoring in four different seasons and also earned the NBA MVP award in 2014. After his time with the Thunder, Durant left to play for the Golden State Warriors in 2016 where he won two NBA Championships. Following the 2018-2019 season, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets. In 2023, Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns.

  • Born: September 29, 1988
  • Education: The University of Texas at Austin, Oak Hill Academy, Montrose Christian School, National Christian Academy
  • Net Worth: $200 million
  • Occupation: Professional Basketball Player
  • Height: 6’10” (208 cm)
  • Weight: 240 pounds (108 kg)
  • Position: Power Forward/Small Forward/Shooting Guard
  • Years Active: 16
  • NBA Championships: 2
  • Nicknames: KD, Durantula, Slim Reaper
  • Teams: Texas Longhorns, Oklahoma City Thunder (Seattle SuperSonics), Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns

Basketball Career

Kevin Durant started off playing basketball at the youth level for the PG Jaguars, an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team from Prince George’s County, Maryland. In high school, Durant played for the National Christian Academy and Montrose Christian High school before transitioning to Oak Hill Academy, a well-known basketball school. Following high school, he committed to play for the University of Texas. After only one year at UT, Durant entered the 2007 NBA Draft and was selected second overall by the Seattle SuperSonics. The SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City and became the Oklahoma City Thunder after Durant’s first season with the team. He continued to play for the Thunder for another eight seasons.

On July 4, 2016, Durant announced that he would be leaving to play for the Golden State Warriors. Although his decision turned out to be controversial among fans and critics, Durant was extremely successful with the Warriors, winning back-to-back NBA Championships in 2017 and 2018. After three seasons with the Warriors, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2018. Durant teamed up with superstar players James Harden and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, but the star-studded trio never really panned out. Durant suffered an achilles injury and missed the entirety of the 2019-2020 season. After the departure of both Harden and Irving in the following years, Durant was traded to the Phoenix Suns in February of 2023.

Titles and Awards

Kevin Durant has proved to be one of the most successful basketball players of all time. Starting off at the youth level, Durant won two AAU national championships with the PG Jaguars. In high school, he made the First Team list for Parade magazine and First Team All-American list for USA Today. Throughout his one season of college basketball, Durant started every game of the season, was named the Big 12 Tournament MVP, and received the Oscar Robertson and Adolph F. Rupp Awards. 

During his time in the NBA, Durant has received numerous awards, including NBA Rookie of the Year in the 2007-2008 season, NBA Most Valuable Player in 2013-2014, and All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 2012 and 2019. In addition, he won two NBA Championships in 2017 and 2018, where he was awarded NBA Finals MVP for both years. Aside from awards, Durant also led the NBA in total scoring in five different seasons and points per game in four seasons.

Personal Life

Kevin Durant was born in Suitland, Maryland on September 29, 1988. He was raised by his parents Wayne and Wanda Pratt with one sister, Brianna, and two brothers, Anthony and Rayvonne. As seen in his Lifetime movie, The Real MVP: The Wanda Pratt Story, Durant has a close relationship with his mother, Wanda.

Currently, Durant owns multiple properties in the Oklahoma City area. He also opened a restaurant called KD Southern Cuisine in the Bricktown neighborhood of Oklahoma City. Around the same time, Durant became engaged to Monica Wright, a WNBA player, but the relationship did not last.

Aside from basketball, Durant enjoys giving back to the community. He donated $1 million to the American Red Cross after the 2013 Moore tornado in Oklahoma. Additionally, he is a spokesperson for the Washington D.C. division of P’tones Records, a national charitable after-school music program.

Fun Facts

  • Kevin Durant enjoyed playing video games growing up and continues to play them in his free time.
  • Durant has acted professionally, playing himself in the movie Thunderstruck.
  • His kind personality led to Foot Locker creating commercials featuring Durant where he was called the “nicest guy in the NBA.”
  • KIND snacks also took advantage of Durant’s kind personality to create StrongAndKind.com to demonstrate how being kind does not indicate a lack of strength.
  • Durant has acquired many endorsement deals with companies such as Nike, General Electric, 2K Sports, Sprint, Gatorade, and Panini.
  • He has played basketball for the United States National Team, where he won the gold medal and was awarded the MVP award in the 2010 FIBA World Championship.
  • Durant won the Olympic gold medal with the US National Men’s Basketball Team in both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.
  • Kevin Durant is a minority owner in the MLS team the Philadelphia Union.

FAQ

Has Kevin Durant been an NBA All-Star?

Yes, Kevin Durant played in 10 consecutive NBA All-Star games between the years of 2010 and 2019, and three straight from 2021-2023, for a total of 13 appearances. In the 2012 All-Star Game, Durant scored 36 points and recorded seven rebounds and three assists, earning the most valuable player award. He also won the All-Star MVP award in the 2019 game where he scored 31 points with two blocks, two assists, and seven rebounds.

How many times has Kevin Durant been to the playoffs?

Kevin Durant has been to the playoffs 11 times in his NBA career. He made the playoffs in six different seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, three seasons with the Golden State Warriors, and twice with the Brooklyn Nets. In his playoff run with the Thunder in the 2013-2014 season, Durant scored his playoff high total of 563 points by making 194 field goals. He also recorded his playoff high minutes played that season at 815 minutes.

Why did Kevin Durant leave the Oklahoma City Thunder?

In Summer of 2016, Kevin Durant announced that he was leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder to play for the Golden State Warriors. Durant explained his decision to join the Warriors because he wanted to experience his true potential and growth as an NBA player. He also expressed part of his reasoning was the desire to step out of his comfort zone by moving to a new city to play for a new team.

Why didn’t Kevin Durant play in the 2019-2020 NBA season?

Kevin Durant missed the 2019-2020 NBA season due to an Achilles tendon injury. In the fifth game of the 2019 NBA finals, Durant ruptured his Achilles and was sidelined for the remainder of the series. Only two days after the injury, he had surgery on the tendon and began his recovery journey. After that season with the Warriors, Durant joined the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2019 but made the definitive decision to sit out of the entire upcoming season to fully recover.