A Force To Be Reckoned With

Why is He famous

2012 has been a year to remember for Kevin Durant. He reached his career high in scoring in February in a home match against the Denver Nuggets, was voted to play as a starter for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game for the second consecutive year and was awarded his first career All-Star Game MVP. He's led the Thunder to Game 1 of the NBA Finals -- and we can't wait to see how that ends.

Kevin Durant Quote

" If I’d gone straight to the NBA, I don’t think I would have been ready as a player or a person."

76 Magnetism

Kevin Durant may just be the NBA’s most unassuming superstar. Sweet, articulate and cordial, this Washington, D.C. native credits his low-key, even-keeled demeanor to his mother, Wanda, and grandmother, Barbra Davis, both of whom raised him from birth. “I have to treat everyone with respect,” he says. “This is how my Mom and Grandma taught me. I can’t ever be rude to people. This is not me. I have a kind heart. I forgive people easily and I want to do things for people. That’s just the way I am. I like being that way and people respect me for it. I’m glad my parents raised me the way they did.” Although Durant is presently single, we have no doubt he’ll soon find a partner who will appreciate his positive and gracious attitude.

85 Success

After winning the college Player of the Year award as a freshman (an NCAA first) at the University of Texas, Durant entered the NBA in 2007 and has established himself as one of the NBA’s best pure scorers. At 6’9” and 230 pounds he has the length to shoot over nearly any defender, the strength to shoot from anywhere within the half-court mark and the speed and craftiness to take it to the hole. His multifaceted game has been particularly on display recently, as he scored the game-winner in the first round of the 2012 playoffs against the Mavericks, and is leading his team to a potential victory against the Heat in the NBA Finals. He's so good that the Thunder just extended his original 2010 contract for another five years for $86 million.

Kevin Durant Biography

Kevin Durant has been in the spotlight since the age of 11, when he led the Prince George Jaguars to a national championship in the ultra-competitive Amateur Athletic Union. This lanky Washington, D.C. native captured another AAU national title before going on to to play at Oak Hill Academy, where he was named a Second Team All American in his junior year after averaging 19.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Durant’s basketball odyssey continued the following year at nearby Montrose Christian School, where he averaged 23.6 points and 10.6 rebounds while leading the school to an impressive 20-2 record. His eye-popping offensive output earned him First Team All-American honors as well as a coveted spot in the McDonald’s All-American Game, where he was named the event’s co-MVP after scoring 25 points.

kevin durant is named ap player of the year

Kevin Durant’s sweet stroke and ability to score from anywhere on the floor had recruiters stumbling over themselves to offer him a scholarship. In the end, he chose to play at the University of Texas where Coach Rick Barnes was quietly building one of the best programs in the nation. It proved to be a sound decision for everyone involved as Durant went on to average 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game while leading the Longhorns into the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Durant’s prowess earned him praise from even the harshest commentators, including Bobby Knight, who fell in love with the youngster’s speed and mobility. Fellow broadcaster Dick Vitale even went so far as to call him “the most prolific offensive skilled big perimeter player” he had ever seen. Durant’s dominance was reflected later that year in the voting for the league’s top awards as he took home honors for Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Big 12 Player of the Year and MVP of the 2007 Big 12 Tournament. He also became the first freshman ever to be named AP Player of the Year and to win the Naismith Award as the NCAA’s top hoops star.

kevin durant is named rookie of the year

Kevin Durant announced his decision to turn pro on April 11, 2007, and was selected two months later by the Seattle SuperSonics with the second pick in the NBA Draft. The team then proceeded to trade incumbent All-Stars Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, making “K-Smoove” the face of the franchise. It was a lot to ask of a spindly 19-year-old rookie, but Durant responded by averaging 20.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 43% from the field, 28% from downtown and 87% from the line. His impressive performance earned him Rookie of the Year honors as well as an invite to practice with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and the rest of Team USA.

kevin durant makes headlines at the nba’s all-star weekend

2008-2009 was a season of change for Kevin Durant and his teammates as the franchise relocated to Oklahoma City. The town’s passionate, college atmosphere proved to be a nice antidote to Seattle’s apathy and the team attracted sellout crowds on a nightly basis despite winning only 23 games.

Durant was one of many players to give fans something to cheer about as he averaged 25.3 points and 6.5 boards per game while shooting 47% from the field, 42% from downtown and 86% from the line. The young forward also delighted basketball fans that year at the NBA’s All-Star Weekend, where he won the league’s inaugural H.O.R.S.E. competition and had 23 points and eight rebounds in the Rookie-Sophomore Game.

kevin durant leads the league in scoring

Durant and his teammates gave Oklahoma City something to really cheer about in 2009-2010 as the Thunder shocked pundits by winning 50 games and earning the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs, where they were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers.

“K-Smoove” was especially spectacular during the regular season as he averaged 30.1 points per game to become the youngest player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring. His dizzying offensive output earned him a spot on the Western Conference All-Star team and the All-NBA First Team. He also finished second only to LeBron James in a particularly tight race for the league’s MVP award.

kevin durant is named mvp at the fiba world championship

Kevin Durant continued to cement his legacy in summer 2010 by leading Team USA to its first FIBA World Championship since 1994. The victory was especially sweet since the U.S. squad wasn’t expected to fare well given its youth and lack of international experience. Durant led the team in scoring with 22.1 points per game and was unanimously selected as the tournament’s MVP.

kevin durant leads the Thunder to the NBA Finals

Durant came out strong in Game 1 of this year's NBA Finals, leading his team to a 105-94 victory over Miami. He earned the team 36 points, the second most points by a player making his Finals debut since the NBA-ABA merger (Allen Iverson had 48 points in 2001; Michael Jordan also had 36 in 1991). Durant's race with James for his first ring -- and maybe the title of best player in the game -- could definitely end with Durant skyrocketing to global stardom.