Kevin Durant Signs Multi-Year Extension With the Oklahoma City Thunder

Published by in Blog, News on July 9th, 2010 | 8

OKLAHOMA CITY, July 8, 2010 – The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed forward Kevin Durant to a multi-year extension, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Today is an exciting and important day in the growth of the Thunder organization,” said Presti. “The mutual and substantial commitment by both Kevin and our ownership group comes by way of aligned values and vision. Kevin’s consistent work ethic, humility, team-first mentality and strong community investment are just some of the reasons that today’s commitments stretch beyond our franchise and throughout our community and the entire state of Oklahoma.”

Durant averaged 30.1 points and 7.6 rebounds, while leading the Thunder to a 27-game improvement during the 2009-10 season. Durant became the youngest player to ever lead the NBA in scoring while shooting 47% from the field and 90.0% from the free throw line. Durant capped-off the season by being named to the All-NBA First Team while finishing second in the league’s MVP voting.

“I am excited to remain a part of the Thunder organization and the Oklahoma City community,” said Durant. “This is a big day for my family and myself. I would like to thank God for putting me in this position, the Thunder for believing in me since I was drafted and my teammates for supporting and encouraging me everyday.”

Durant holds career averages of 25.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 37.7 minutes per game during his three seasons with the Thunder. This last season, Durant started all 82 games for Oklahoma City and set a franchise record by scoring 30+ points on 47 occasions. In addition, his 756 made free throws are a franchise-best and the most recorded in a single season since Michael Jordan connected on 833 free throws during the 1986-87 season.

The Seat Pleasant, Maryland native was named 2007 NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 20.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists while appearing in 80 games (all starts) during his first NBA season. Durant was selected with the second overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft after a stellar season at the University of Texas where he was the consensus National Player of the Year.

The University of Texas product was voted to his first All-Star game during the 2009-10 season and scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds in 20 minutes of action. Durant also won the NBA’s second annual H-O-R-S-E competition in Dallas during All-Star Weekend.

“Kevin Durant personifies what we are building with the Oklahoma City Thunder,” said Thunder Chairman Clay Bennett. “His dedication to his teammates, to continually working at his game, and to this community is at the core of what we want this organization to represent. We are excited to have the opportunity to continue to watch Kevin evolve as a player and just as thrilled to have someone of his personal character on our team.”

This last season Durant helped lead the Oklahoma City franchise to the playoffs for the first time since the 2004-05 season. During the Thunder’s six-game first round playoff series versus the Los Angeles Lakers, Durant averaged 25.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in his first career postseason appearance.



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  • Drew

    Congratulations, Kev. Keep up the hard work and everything else will take care of itself.

  • ClevereignsBronshames

    Congratulations, Kevin, OC is lucky to have you. We're jealous in Cleveland, take out the HEAT!

  • Kat02

    Class all the way.

  • mhmm

    U R AWESOME! congrats on the extension, im sure you'll do big things in the western conference in the future.

  • Willo

    Congratulations, KD, on your new success achieved. Keep up good work !

  • Alex F

    What a display of class to sign a max deal under the table. Durant is the future of the league, though LBJ is the present, he will surpass him soon enough. He has created more buzz in Oklahoma City than any athlete in history. I look forward to see what his future has in store.

  • Busabus7888

    KD is here to stay!!!!

 

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