Wanda, Durant's mom, wanted to make
Kevin’s dream come true, so she got with his AAU Coach Taras Brown and came up
with a plan for Durant. Overtime Coach Brown became like a godfather to Kevin.
Kevin could no longer play any pickup games with his friends or anyone for that
matter. He could only play organized basketball. While he wasn’t playing Kevin
was given basketball drills to do, that would help improve his game. All he did
was practice every day, day in and day out working on his game. Kevin’s outstanding work
ethic turned him into a great high school basketball player. Durant played for
Montrose Christian in Rockville, Maryland his first two years in high school.
Kevin faced a few adversities. His teammates said they would stop passing the
ball to hm. He felt like giving up. But, he thought about all those extra hours
and shifts his mom would take for work to make sure he was taken care of. He
grinded it out and stayed on the team.
After his very freshman
year, something incredible happened. He grew from 6’2 to 6’9, growing an
outstanding seven inches in one year. All of Kevin Durant’s training was to
turn him into an exceptional guard. But at the height of 6’9, he became a beast
at the forward position that took his game to another level. After his second year, the Washington
Post name KD that areas Player of the Year.
Durant transferred to Oak
Hill Academy his junior year and played with his former teammate Ty Lawson. He
averaged nearly 20 points and 9 rebounds while playing for Oak Hill. His final
and senior year in high school, Durant changed schools once again and played
for National Christian Academy. Playing under Stu Vetter, one of the best high
school coaches in the country, Durant’s numbers on the court grew even higher.
He averaged nearly 24 points and 11 rebounds a game. With these impressive
numbers Kevin was recognized as one of the elite and best high school players
in the country. In 2006 he was named a McDonald’s All-American and was awarded
co-MVP. His game and height had every major college basketball program watching
him.
