What’s good everybody? Hope you all are doing well. We came up short last night against a tough Bulls team. We’ve had a tough stretch in our last 3 games, but I promise we will bounce back. That’s my word!

I’m so glad we’re home this week, but man, it’s been a busy one. I had a TV camera crew come to my crib the other day to film a promo commercial for this year’s H-O-R-S-E competition at NBA All-Star Weekend. Yup, I’ll be there to defend my H-O-R-S-E crown. And I’ll tell you what, that commercial shoot was a lot of fun.

They set it up like I had to try to find the H-O-R-S-E trophy that I won last year somewhere in my house. I don’t know if you’ve seen it or not but it’s literally a horse trophy, just a little plastic thing that TNT and GEICO gave me when I won last year in Phoenix. The commercial shoot was pretty neat because I’ve never done that before. Oh yeah, the horse was actually in a drawer in my room.

As far as why I entered the contest again, well that’s pretty simple. I’m the reigning champ, and you know the reigning champ always has to come back and try to get another one. Plus, it was a lot of fun. It was exciting. Fans were really into it. It was televised nationally and I got to shoot against some great players. I’m excited to do it again.

I used to play H-O-R-S-E all the time as a kid with my brother Tony and our friends from the neighborhood. We used to call it OUT, PIG, GEICO (just kidding). But I played it a lot growing up and I like to think that it kind of prepared me for that day last year. Hopefully I’ll go in there and get another horse, or maybe a real trophy this time.

I might try some trick shots, but if I’m not making them that’s when I’ll go to my regular tactics. I’m just going to do it on the fly, but I might start practicing this week or so if I find the time. I actually didn’t practice heading into last year’s competition, so I just shot regular shots.

So what do you all think of me defending my H-O-R-S-E title? You guys have any suggestions for trick shots? Or should I keep it simple? Let me know in the comments section.

Fans: Be sure to check out Kevin on Twitter and Facebook.

OKLAHOMA CITY, January 28, 2010 – Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant was named a reserve on the Western Conference All-Star Team the NBA announced today.

“I am both excited and honored to be able to represent the Thunder and our organization as an NBA All-Star,” said Durant. “There are a lot of people who have contributed to this achievement, it is important to me that I recognize the support I have received from my teammates, our organization and my family as well as our fans. I’m looking forward to this experience and am excited to take the floor for the Western Conference.”

Durant becomes the first ever Thunder All-Star and the first franchise All-Star since Ray Allen was named a Western Conference reserve in 2007. This season, Durant is averaging 29.3 points (3rd in the NBA), 7.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 39.9 minutes in 45 games.

“Kevin, through his commitment, consistency and discipline, has earned this recognition,” said Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. “He has worked diligently to improve himself as an all-around player and possesses a deep respect for team and community. We are proud to have Kevin represent the Thunder at NBA All-Star Weekend.”

Since Christmas the third year forward has paced the NBA in scoring with 31.9 points per contest while shooting 51.2% from the field (174-340 FG) including 49.1% from beyond the arc (28-57 3FG). He has scored 30 or more points an NBA-best 25 times this season including 25 or more points in each of the last 19 contests, which in the most in NBA history for a player under the age of 22. Durant is on pace to become just the second player in NBA history, 21 years or younger, to finish the season with a scoring average above 29 points per contest (LeBron James, 31.4 ppg, 2005-06).

The 2010 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before an expected crowd of more than 80,000 – the largest group ever to witness a live basketball game.

Last week we told you about the release of the Creamsicle and Black colorways of the Nike Zoom KD II. Over the weekend the White, Black and Orange colorway of the Zoom KD II hit finishline.com. Once you pick up a pair, send in a pic of yourself holding the shoes and we’ll feature them on the site. You can send the pics to kd35sightings [at] gmail.com.

What’s good everyone? Man, it’s good to be home! We just got back from a four-game road trip, which we split. We won the first two in Atlanta and Minnesota before losing two close back-to-backs against Memphis and Cleveland. They came down to the wire!

And really, I think we got better from staying in those games. Those were against two good teams, two playoff teams basically. Memphis is playing like a playoff team and Cleveland is a championship-caliber team. We were down 14, 15 early to Cleveland but we never let that get to us. We weren’t frustrated, and we came out of halftime and fought. That showed a lot of character and we were in a position to win the games.

Last year, I think it would have been different. If we were down 10 we would have come out a little sluggish in the third, but this year we’ve always picked it up. Coach Brooks has been great at motivating us at halftime, giving us that extra push. We’ve just learned how to persevere.

Of course, my teammates put me in a position to win or tie both games against the Grizzlies and Cavs, but as I’m sure you saw those shots just didn’t fall. After the games I thought about how I could have done it this way or could have done it that way, but I’ve got to live with it. That shot in Memphis, that shot looked good. It looked like it was going in but it came out, bounced off the rim. It’s a learning experience. Ask LeBron, Kobe – they didn’t make every shot in the fourth quarter. A lot of people say you’ve got to be clutch in the fourth but they only look at shots I’ve missed. They don’t look at games in overtime like San Antonio, when I helped put my team in a position to win when it came down to the last shot. Against Indiana – close game and I made shots. And then there was Phoenix – where I made shots in the fourth quarter.

A lot of people could talk about that but they only talk about the shots that help the team go up four points, six points to win the game or seal the game. It is what it is. I’ve got to learn from it. It’s something I can’t get mad over. I’ll just learn from it and watching film is going to help me. That’s all I’m about – getting better.

So after that long road trip it was nice to get back home and enjoy the NFL Playoffs on Sunday. It was fun, man. I wanted to come in for some workouts but they didn’t want anyone to come in. That was like a bad dream, not being able to come in here. I always like going to our practice facility just to chill out or get a massage or something. It just gets me away from a lot of things. But since we have another four games at home this week, they just wanted us to get away for a day. But I got some great work in on Monday and we’ve just got to get ready for our next game and know that practice is very important to us. So the day off was good for us.

Oh yeah, as far as the Super Bowl goes, I’ve got the Colts winning it. The Saints are playing very, very well but I’ve got to go with the Colts. It’s going to be a battle and I’m going to be excited to watch!

Who are you guys picking for the Super Bowl? Anyone planning a cool Super Bowl party? Let me know in my comments section. Talk to you soon!

Fans: Be sure to check out Kevin on Twitter and Facebook.

What’s good everyone? Just checking in from the road. We’re in the middle of a four-game road trip right now. We’re 2-0 so far on the trip with wins in Atlanta and Minnesota. We play at Memphis on Friday and head to Cleveland to face LeBron and the Cavs on Saturday. This should be a great test for us.

Anyway, I know the last time I blogged about my new KD2 sneakers that are on sale right now, and that had me thinking about all the sneakers I’ve collected over the years from a ton of great player in this league.

I’m not sure what got me started on that. To be honest with you, I’m such a fan of different players that I’d rather ask for shoes or game-worn stuff than autographs. Some players have done their best to give them to me and they’re always happy to do so. I’m just a big fan of shoes and seeing guys wear different shoes.

So far I’ve collected Kobe’s, Joe Johnson’s, Andrei Kirilenko, O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay, Deron Williams, Gerald Wallace. I’ve also got LeBron’s shoes. He autographed them for my little brother. So I’ve got a lot of guys. I’ve got some autographed, too. I’ve got Kobe’s autographed shoes – something a lot of people can’t say they have. I’ve also got Joe Johnson’s autographed. Players are really cordial. If I ask a player for shoes, an autograph or a jersey they do it right away.

My first ones were Kobe’s. He wore Huaraches, old Huaraches. It was during one of my rookie games and I was at the free throw line and I was like, ‘man, I like those. Can you sign them for me?’ He’s like, ‘yeah, I got you.’ So he sent them over to me. I thought he would have forgotten but he sent them right over to me after the game. I was kind of excited.

I just keep them all in a box in my closet for right now. But once I settle on a house situation and buy a house out here I’m going to have a room just for them.

I collected sneakers up until last season. Really, I just forgot about it, so that’s the only reason why I stopped collecting them. But I think I’m about to start again because there’s so many new shoes coming out this year.

Oh yeah, and for all the sneakers I’ve collected from different players, I’ve actually had a few players ask me for mine. Ron Artest asked me for mine in my first rookie preseason game. A couple of other guys have asked me for them. That’s an honor, too, when people want your sneakers.

If you could get game-worn sneakers from any player in the league, who would it be, retired players or current ones? Let me know in my comments section. Talk to you guys soon.

Fans: Be sure to check out Kevin on Twitter and Facebook.

Last month it was ESPN the Magazine. This month it’s Sports Illustrated. Chris Ballard produced a great feature on Kevin for this week’s Sports Illustrated that’s a must read. The feature is called “Kicking it up a Notch”. Once you read the article, you’ll understand why KD has quickly become one of the top players in the NBA.

Here’s a little preview of the article:

Despite a nine-man rotation that could be described as the March Madness Traveling All-Stars (average age 23) Oklahoma City finished the week with a 22–18 record, just behind eighth-place Houston in the ultracompetitive Western Conference.

This has led to a natural curiosity about the team and especially the 21-year-old Durant, who heretofore was known primarily for two things: being the national college player of the year as a freshman (at Texas) and scoring a ton of points for a bad NBA team (first the Sonics and then, after the team moved in 2008, the Thunder). The latter leads to pejorative labels, whether deserved or not: Gunner, Guy Who Gets His, Volume Shooter. These days, however, Durant is scoring a ton of points for a winning team, and that is regarded as a different thing entirely. Players who do that are tagged All-Star and Franchise Player and have names like Kobe and Carmelo and D-Wade and Dirk.

Make sure to read the rest of the article here

MIAMI – January 18, 2010 – A collective group of professional athletes have joined alliances to provide emergency medical supplies and essentials to those recently affected by the deadly earthquake in Haiti through “Athletes Relief Fund for Haiti”, created by former NBA All Star Alonzo Mourning.

In an effort to provide and encourage relief efforts, athletes like Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Al Horford, Michael Vick and Randy Moss have banned together to contribute approximately $600,000, with Lennar Corporation of Florida matching the fund dollar for dollar with a donation that will exceed $1 Million in aide to support the medical needs of the community.

Mourning requested individual donations from athletes like Dominican Republic native, Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks) and he stepped up by donating an entire game salary to the cause. Other contributions included $100,000 donations from NBA players Kevin Durant (Oklahoma Thunder), LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat) each.

As one of the first athletes to visit the devastated country last week with Project Medishare, Mourning knows firsthand how crucial the medical supplies are to saving the lives of the people on the island.

“The unified front that these players have shown is amazing. We are going to continue to raise funds and bring awareness to the issues of this beautiful country as they rebuild.” said Mourning.

“The situation in Haiti is devastating. I wanted to do my part, and contribute to the Athletes Relief Fund so the people of Haiti know we care and support them,” said Durant.

Funds raised will be directed to organizations on the ground, specifically Project Medishare which has actively been working to support the Haitian people for 20 years.

Fans and supporters can go the www.amcharities.org and make a tax deductible contribution to support the relief effort.

Project Medishare is dedicated to improving the health and overall well being of the Haitian people by re-establishing the health infrastructure and providing access to agriculture, education, clean water & sanitation, micro-credit in several communities in the Central Department in Haiti.

A growing list of athlete contributors include: Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors), Caron Butler (Washington Wizards), Kenyon Martin (Denver Nuggets), Clinton Portis (Washington Redskins), Michael Finley (San Antonio Spurs), Ronnie Brewer (Utah Jazz), Devin Harris (New Jersey Nets), Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz), JR Smith (Denver Nuggets), Anthony Parker (Cleveland Cavaliers), Ben Gordan (Detroit Pistons), Gilbert Arenas (Washington Wizards), Quentin Richardson (Miami Heat), Michael Beasley (Miami Heat).

What’s good everyone? We bounced back from a couple of close losses this week by beating a tough Miami Heat team at home last night. We’re still a young team, so thanks for supporting us through it all.

As you could probably tell by the headline, my new KD II sneakers are in stores now! Right now, you can get them in either black or creamsicle, so take your pick. More colorways will be released in the near future.

The black colorway is on the Finishline website right now. The creamsicle colorway is out in limited quantities at footlocker house of hoops locations. So pick up a pair and wear them anywhere – at home, out at night, on the court, wherever.

Man, when I think of my new sneakers coming out, it’s just such a blessing. A huge blessing. Hopefully people will support them and buy them. That would make me feel real good.

I’ve got a lot of friends who I know are going to wear them. Even though they’re asking me to give them a pair, I know they’re going to buy some just to support me.

Not many players can say they have their own sneakers, and I’m very fortunate and blessed that Nike has done this for me.

Drop me a line in my comments section if you’ve picked up a pair or plan to. Remember, they’re only $85 a pair, one of the most affordable signature sneakers from Nike. And after you pick up a pair, send me a photo of yourself with the shoes and I will make sure it is featured on the site. You can send you photos to kd35sightings [at] gmail.com. Thanks for the support!

Fans: Be sure to check out Kevin on Twitter and Facebook.

Hey Fans, Kevin’s Black Nike Zoom KD II Colorway is available now at Finishline. At only $85, the KD II is the most cost friendly Nike Signature shoe on the market. Once you pick up a pair, send in a pic of yourself holding the shoes and we’ll feature them on the site. You can send the pics to kd35sightings [at] gmail.com.

Thanks,

–Team KD

What’s good everyone? Just figured I’d check in and see what’s going on with y’all. We just wrapped up a four-game home stand and are in Dallas for a game against the Mavs tonight. I’m sure you guys all saw our tough loss against the Spurs on Wednesday night. We don’t like to take moral victories, but I’m proud of how we bounced back from a bad start and made it a game.

Anyhow, since I practically live at the arena during the season, whether it’s at the Ford Center or on the road, I figured I’d let you guys in on my game day routine. I really don’t have any rituals, but I guess you can say there’s a routine to it.

It really starts after our team’s morning shoot around. Once I come home I have to play my brother in NBA Live on the XBox. I’ve got to play one game of that. That’s always fun and that’s one thing I have to do on game days.

I don’t ever take naps on game days because any time I used to I’d just get sluggish. I like to get to the arena nice and early to get a workout in. I like to put up a bunch of different shots – slashing shots, curls, three-pointers. Stuff I do in the game I like to work on beforehand.

After that I always take a seat on our bench for a few minutes and that’s when I’m just chilling out. I might know some people on other teams. Like when the Bobcats came to town last month that’s when I had a chance to catch up with one of my good friends D.J. Augustin, who I played with at Texas. I usually wait for fans to get into the arena so I can sign some autographs for them. I love to sign stuff for the people who come out to see us. I’m just doing them a favor because they’re doing one for us as well.

After that, I head back to our new locker room, take a seat at my stall and read the scouting report. I ALWAYS read the scouting report. Then I’ll just listen to my music and chill out, get in my little mode I guess. I listen to a lot of R&B, a lot of rap, but mostly R&B. Then an hour before game time, me and some of my teammates head to the team chapel. I have to do chapel before every game, no matter where we’re playing.

And finally, I do have a little ritual once I’m on the court. Right after player introductions, when everyone’s taking the court for the opening tip, I go straight to the scorer’s table, where I’ll untie tie my shoes. I do that before every game and right after halftime. I really don’t know why I do it, but it’s become a habit.

Then, it’s game time.

Do you all have daily routines you have to follow before school and work? Let me know in the comments section, and be sure to check us out tonight against the Mavs.

Fans: Be sure to check out Kevin on Twitter and Facebook.