Kevin Durant during a news conference announcing him as the winner of the 2013-14 Kia NBA Basketball Most Value Player Award in Oklahoma City, Okla. on Tuesday, May 6, 2014. Photo Courtesy The Oklahoman
Why do so many Oklahomans and sports fans throughout the world appreciate Kevin Durant? More than his skills on the court, awarded yesterday as the most valuable in the National Basketball Association, it is the nature of the man.
Thankful to God, loving his family, honoring his teammates, Durant worked his way to success outside the “box” he once thought he was trapped within. He overcame adversity to become a man honored, respected and admired with the Oklahoma Thunder.
National news outlets beyond sports are covering Durant’s remarkably personal, humble, off-the-cuff response as the league officially crowned him with his first career MVP award after Durant garnered 119 of a possible 125 first-place votes from writers and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada, as well as a fan vote conducted on NBA.com.
Kevin Durant
On the day reserved for him to finally embrace his individual achievements, Durant endeared himself to fans and casual observers in a surprising, but sensational 26-minute acceptance speech.
Durant took time to thank those closest to him – beginning with God for “changing my life” and revealing to him what life is really about. When the camera focused on the face of his mother in the crowd, she already had tears in her eyes.
The Oklahoman reports:
No one grew more emotional than Durant himself, the man who once proclaimed he was tired of finishing second and finally broke through after three second-place finishes in MVP voting in the past four seasons.
In a surprising but sensational 26-minute acceptance speech, Durant took time to thank those closest to him.
“When something good happens to you…I tend to look back to what brought me here,” Durant said.
And so Durant delivered a flawless and heartfelt address without notes or cues.
It was his moment and he owned it.
He was introspective and insightful, funny and frank.
He smiled. He cried. He laughed.