Sneaker News 
On Tuesday, Kevin Durant was crowned the NBA MVP for the 2013-2014 season. While a debate was going between KD and LeBron for the coveted top prize has been going on since the All-Star Break, there really was no story to it – Durant as the most valuable player to his team was already established by then, and any argument made for a player other than KD was mere filibustering until the official announcement would be made. Durant has been the key player to a team inching closer to a Championship, so his crowning as league MVP was only a matter of time; he was runner-up over the last two seasons, but as of earlier this week, KD was at the top.
Durant credits the strong matriarchal presence and his roots in PG County as the key motivators to his success. He mentions it repeatedly during his heartfelt and emotional acceptance speech that had the superstar deflect praise in the direction of his loved ones and Thunder teammates. But this notion of being grounded in his roots was told to us last June at the incredible launch event for the KD 6, during which Nike walked us through a tour of his early life. Sneaker News was one of the select U.S. media invited out to the occasion, so we decided to walk down memory lane and insert in Durant’s MVP as the final chapter to that earnest story.
Produced & Written by: John Kim
Imagery by: Sneaker News, Nike Inc., News OK
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Above: Kevin Durant accepts the 2014 NBA MVP Award
On court, Kevin Durant has gained a surprising reputation as one of the fiercest and most relentless players in the game. His rather stoic demeanor shouldn’t be mistaken for friendliness, because during those 48 minutes, crushing his opponent is all that’s on his mind. If you recall the post-series interview from the 2011 Western Conference Finals, he was asked if he was happy for Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki, who got the opportunity to play for an NBA Finals; he quickly responded with “I’m not happy for him at all, because I want to be there”. So it’s not that Kevin’s a mean dude in any sense, but it’s clear that his focus on victory is what defines him best.
Not a year later, Durant would find himself in his first NBA Finals at the young age of 22, and since then, KD and the Thunder have been marked as title contenders year in and year out. The thought of MVP also entered the minds of NBA analysts and experts, because he finished second to LeBron James in MVP voting the last two years, but for the 2013/2014 season, his dominance and leadership were undeniable; he was named the Most Valuable Player of the season by a landslide vote, suggesting a swift change in position of King of the league.
His acceptance speech on Tuesday shed light on how the MVP became. Pointing to his roots in PG County just outside of DC, he credits his mother Wanda Pratt’s strong will as the sole reason for his success. This wasn’t as big of a heartwarming surprise to us, because last June, Nike’s launch event for the KD 6 turned out to be more about his family and his upbringing rather than the sneaker.
Above: Kevin Durant and Michael Wilbon at the Nike KD 6 Launch Event in June, 2013
The event started at the Seat Pleasant Activity Center, an establishment that serves as one of KD’s training grounds. He spent most of his days at this venue honing his skills and keeping out of trouble while his mom was busy at work. Noted sports reporter and event host Michael Wilbon chatted with Durant and his beginnings at the rec center, which still acts as a neighborhood establishment vital to the positive influence on the area’s many youths. KD didn’t hesitate to give props to the people who ran the center, from Coach “Stink”, who is also KD’s godfather, to those working the front desk, who would let him shoot hoops for as long as he wanted. Many times he found himself spending the night on the gym floor – particularly behind a big curtain inside the gym; instead of walking home back to his grandma’s he would sleep behind the curtain in order to get first crack at the courts the next morning.
The event could’ve taken place anywhere, really. But Nike chose to place us right inside a place that was close to KD’s heart. Upon seeing the revamped venue for the first time, Durant was thoroughly impressed and notes that he “can’t remember it ever looking this good”. It was just the first stop of this journey through his childhood, and the entire Durant family was ready to bring us in even closer.
Above: KD and family on the porch of his grandmother’s house in PG County
At the corner of Faye and Sultan lies the house of Barbara Davis, aka Kevin Durant’s grandmother. It was a quiet upbringing in that house for KD, but his brother Tony mentioned that “there has never been this many people on grandma’s lawn before”. KD grew up doing what most other kids do, only he spent hours on end drawing up basketball plays (which explains his high IQ and leadership on the court). Durant and his family no longer live there, but they make frequent visits to the area to be reminded of their humble yet firm beginnings.
Another key landmark of the area was simply known as “The Hill” – a place that Durant referred to during his MVP speech. He and his brother tested their agility and speed on this low-maintenance training ground by sprinting up to the top. Both stops on the KD tour gave us a better understanding of how KD shaped himself into more than just a kid with a jumpshot, but how his work ethic, instilled in him by his family, made him worthy of the MVP title.
Above: A showcase of KD’s various accolades before going pro
Kevin Durant described winning the MVP as “surreal”, but the experience of receiving praise was certainly not new. His Olympic Gold Medal, Rookie of the Year trophy, high-school jerseys, magazine covers, and other artifacts reflecting Durant’s potential for greatness were on display at the Seat Pleasant Activity Center, with a wall of the entire Nike signature line acting as the centerpiece of the installation.
The Nike KD signature line also speaks to Durant’s humility and affinity for servanthood. His first sneaker was just $88, which was far less than any other signature shoe on the market, and it eventually grew to $130 on current KD 6 model, which is hands down the most popular signature shoe to date. The OKC star is quickly becoming Nike Basketball’s most valuable commodity and may soon overtake LeBron James as the lead athlete in the category, and with Design Director Leo Chang at the helm, the KD is ready to explore uncharted territories of success. Durant’s excellence in the sport combined with his global popularity has made Durant into one of Nike’s greatest success stories, and the KD shoe, which started off as a “bargain” sneaker, is now hotly coveted for its design and impact rather than affordable price.
Above: A special one-of-seventy Nike booklet detailing the entire KD 6 spectrum
To close out the KD 6 launch event, Nike handed out these limited edition booklets that went incredibly in-depth on Durant’s past and the design concept for the Nike KD 6. Just seventy units were handed out to select media from around the world, and after almost a year of keeping it in our personal stash, we’ve decided to unearth it to give you an exclusive look. It describes without restraint the true influence that his hometown has had in his MVP efforts, and that much is absolutely clear based on his his speech and how passionately he refers to his hometown and his family.
Looking forward, we can only anticipate the best for the launch of the KD 7. Where will Nike take us next? Stay tuned to Sneaker News for exclusive coverage of Durant’s next signature shoe.
