We’ve seen KD give away game tickets and shoes to fans on Twitter and Facebook. Here’s another great story of KD interacting with fans via his social media pages. This time he ended up buying a fan a pair of shoes at the Potomac Mills Mall. Here’s the story from one of KD’s fans named Brandon:

It was just a regular day, but then I saw posts on Kevin Durant’s Facebook and Twitter saying that he was going to be heading to the Potamac Mills Mall and for fans to come say what’s up to him. I immediately called everyone on my contact list that had a car, but no one had time to drive me. Finally I was able to get my cousin’s friend to take me and my two cousins to the mall. My cousin and her friend went shopping while my other cousin and I went to eat and look for Kevin Durant.

We couldn’t find KD, so we decided to wait for him outside the Nike store. He didn’t show up, so we decided to go look for him at another store. While we were walking I saw KD walking toward us. My cousin didn’t believe me until I actually went up to him. I asked for an autograph and he signed my basketball.

On his Facebook and Twitter, he said that if anyone saw him and asked him, he would get them a pair of basketball shoes. So I asked him for shoes….and he actually got me shoes! We were in Finish Line for 30 minutes with KD and his friends helping me look for the shoes I wanted. He ended up buying me a pair of the Nike Zoom Hyperfuse USAB editions that he’s wearing in FIBA World Championships this summer. Thanks for everything, KD!

KD continues to prove why he is one of the most down to earth, fan friendly athletes out there. So if you’re not following him already, make sure you add him on Facebook and Twitter. Enjoy your kicks Brandon!

-Team KD

To commemorate the World Basketball Festival, Nike has released some special edition T-Shirts featuring WBF Illustrations of KD. Click on the shirt of your choice to purchase at the Nike store.

Youth/Boy’s Grey (Remember, this one is for KIDS only!)

Continue reading Get Your Kevin Durant World Basketball Festival T-Shirts!

As a young man, Kevin Durant spent most of his days at the Seat Pleasant Activity Center. To help keep the activity center going for the next generation of Seat Pleasant kids, KD donated $25K to renovate the Activity Center’s game room/lounge area. In honor of KD’s donation, the Seat Pleasant community center has named the new room “Durant’s Den”. KD made the donation last summer and was on hand this past weekend for the opening of “Durant’s Den”.

Read more about KD’s Donation to the Seat Pleasant Activity Center HERE.

Check out photos from the “Durant’s Den” dedication HERE.

KD has joined forces with Los Angeles based P’Tones records, rapper Wale and television host Kenny Burns to help build a music studio for high school students in the Washington D.C. area. P’Tones plans to develop a total of 12 studios across the country that will provide high school students with hands-on recording skills and insight into the music industry. To help fund the initiative, they are applying for a $250,000 grant from the Pepsi Refresh Grant. You can help them receive the Pepsi Refresh Grant by voting HERE.

For more information, view the press release below:

Los Angeles, CA, Aug 1, 2010 – P’Tones Records announced today that on June 1st, the nonprofit organization will apply to the Pepsi Refresh Grant Competition for a $250,000 grant to fund its planned 12-city nationwide expansion initiative. This will enable P’Tones to develop 12 new recording studios that provide high school students with hands-on recording skills and insight into the music industry. In order to win the grant, voters must visit the official Pepsi Refresh Link (http://www.refresheverything.com/ptones) beginning on June 1 and vote for the organization.

“We are very excited about the Pepsi Refresh Project,” said Oren Rosenbaum, Founder and CEO of P’Tones Records. “It emphasizes the message of giving back to your community, which is what our organization is all about.”

P’Tones is an after-school program for urban high school youth that provides access to semi-professional music studios and an education on how to run a fully functional record label. Its six-course curriculum covers Marketing, New Media, Art, A&R, Publicity and Music Production. The program is run by college interns and celebrity spokespeople, and provides insight into not only music creation, but also the business of the industry and beyond. P’Tones Records is strategically aligned with Warner Music Group, allowing its various music releases to reach the hands of some of the most sought after executives in the industry.

P’Tones Records is strategically aligned with Warner Music Group, allowing its various music releases to reach the hands of some of the most sought after executives in the industry. P’Tones spokespeople include: Lil’ Wayne, Nas, Talib Kweli, Wale, Kevin Durant, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Cool & Dre, Drumma Boy, and more. To date, the organization has partnered with NYU, Miami University, Tulane University, NCCU, and FAMU to provide internships, financial aid, and scholarship opportunities to students applying to partner universities.

P’Tones Records was founded in 2006 by then-17 year old Oren Rosenbaum. As a high school student, he wanted to provide a place where teens could go after school to become enthusiastic about learning and exploring their own musical, professional, and/or artistic talents. P’Tones partners with local community centers and universities to administer programs, funding their development through charitable donations. Once opened, each location is self-sustaining, and students who excel in the curriculum are eligible for college scholarships and/or internships at a major record label.

###
For more information, contact:

Andrew Silberstein
P’Tones Records/Music Man Media
(646) 417-8322 x701
andrew@ptonesrecords.com

Bijan Gharavi
P’Tones Records
(310) 279-7090
bijan@ptonesrecords.com

Check out KD on the covers of SLAM and Bounce Magazines for August 2010. The covers are to promote and commemorate the World Basketball Festival and the FIBA World Basketball Championships. For more info on the SLAM cover check out this post on SLAM Online.

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.

To commemorate Kevin Durant’s historic accomplishment as the youngest scoring champion in the history of the NBA, Nike is releasing the Nike Zoom KD Scoring Title Edition.

On Monday, June 28, a very limited number of pairs of the Zoom KD II Scoring Title Edition will be released at Niketown Chicago, as well as House of Hoops locations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Dallas. On the 28th KD will also be making an appearance in-store at the Chicago Niketown at 2:30 PM.

This shoe features Kevin’s point totals from the season on the collar lining, as well as a badge on the tongue that references his friends and teammates, The Broingtons, as well as Kevin’s “Pure Committment.” The sockliner includes another call-out to The Broingtons, a pennant that alludes to Kevin’s appearance in the NBA All-Star Game in February 2010, and two horses that represent his two H.O.R.S.E competition wins.

Redwood City, Calif. – Tuesday, June 22, 2010 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that Oklahoma City Thunder small forward, Kevin Durant, will be the cover athlete for NBA ELITE 11. A 2010 NBA All-Star, Durant became the youngest player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring this past season, and he helped lead the Thunder to an impressive 50 win season and an NBA Playoffs berth. NBA ELITE 11 is currently in development under the EA SPORTS™ brand by EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C. and will be available worldwide this October.

NBA ELITE 11 introduces significant gameplay changes that promise to revolutionize the basketball videogame experience. Hands-On Control is an innovative new control scheme that allows for one-to-one responsiveness of a player’s movement and actions on the court, as opposed to predetermined animations from the past that require users to wait while a scenario played out before making the next move. Hands-On Control is unique to NBA ELITE 11 and it is used to manage everything within a player’s offensive and defensive arsenal, including: dribble moves, dunks, drives to the basket, fadeaways, mid-air adjustments, blocks, steals and more.

“I’ve always been a fan of EA SPORTS,” said Durant. “This has been an exciting year for me and the team, and capping it off with being on the cover of NBA ELITE 11 is cool.”

“Durant is a game changer,” said Jordan Edelstein, VP Marketing, EA SPORTS. “There has never been a player his size with his skill set, and there has never before been a basketball videogame like NBA ELITE. Just like we see Durant as the future of the NBA, NBA ELITE 11 represents the future of basketball videogames by providing a gameplay experience you simply won’t find anywhere else on the market.”
Picked second overall in the 2007 NBA Entry Draft, Durant has accumulated an impressive list of accomplishments in his short professional career, including being named the 2008 T-Mobile NBA Rookie of the Year. Additionally, he will be representing the USA in the 2010 FIBA World Championships this summer in Turkey.

Durant is only the third player in EA SPORTS history to be featured both on the pack of an NCAA and an NBA licensed product. Durant was featured on the cover of NCAA March Madness 08.

NBA ELITE 11 will be available for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information, log onto http://nbaelite.easports.com

EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA LIVE basketball, NCAA® Football, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, and EA SPORTS Active™.
For more information about EA SPORTS, including news, video, blogs, forums and game apps, please visit www.easports.com to connect, share and compete.

Last week KD was in New York city to help Nike and USA Basketball announce the World Basketball Festival and also introduce the new Nike Hyperfuse shoe and Hyperelight uniform to the world.

The World Basketball Festival, August 12-15, features basketball’s leading brands within the NIKE Inc. portfolio – Converse, the Jordan Brand, and Nike Basketball.

The World Basketball Festival is a uniquely dynamic event, from the moment it tips off with a showcase featuring members of the 2010 USA Basketball National Team on an open-air court in Times Square, to an unprecedented Times Square performance by a surprise musical act, to the final games of the weekend between four of the best teams in the world at Madison Square Garden.

“The World Basketball Festival will be an unforgettable event for the people of New York City and basketball fans around the world,” said Charlie Denson, Nike Brand President. “Every two years we plan to connect the global world of basketball to celebrate the sport while leaving a lasting legacy within the community.”

From Times Square on August 12, the action moves uptown to New York City’s legendary basketball courts at Rucker Park in Harlem, Friday and Saturday, August 13 and 14.

Rucker Park will be home to open-air practices and scrimmages by National Teams from Brazil and Puerto Rico, and training by France, mixed with performances by top international music acts, in addition to a grassroots youth tournament serving as the championships for some of New York’s top summer basketball leagues. Fans will also be invited to participate in clinics here designed to improve training and basketball skills. The two days at Rucker Park will culminate with a special celebration on Saturday, August 14. Details will be provided closer to the day.

The World Basketball Festival concludes Sunday, August 15 with an exciting exhibition double-header featuring the United States taking on France (1 p.m. EDT) and China meeting Puerto Rico (3:30 p.m. EDT) at famed Madison Square Garden.

The exhibition games are being utilized as part of the teams’ preparation for the 2010 FIBA World Basketball Championship in Turkey, August 28 to September 12.

While playing for Team USA KD will wear the new Nike Hyperfuse shoe.

The Hyperfuse is a super lightweight, highly breathable basketball shoe inspired by the street ball games in China. The composite is comprised of a superior stability layer, a breathable mesh layer and a durable outer skin layer all fused together into a unibody composite design. Hyperfuse also revolutionizes the way shoes are built by “fusing” its distinct layers into an engineered composite to provides a level of precision unattainable with traditional cut-and-sew construction. With Hyperfuse, additive overlays are eliminated and engineered zones of support are placed precisely where they are needed. The Hyperfuse’s seamless unibody design helps eliminate potential hotspots and wear points in footwear. And at roughly 12.5 ounces for a size 9, the shoe embodies superior lightweight performance. The design was inspired by Chinese basketball players and their need for shoes that are lightweight, can hold up outdoors, and have great traction/breathability.

Here’s video of Shane Kohatsu and Fred Dojan of Nike’s Innovative Kitchen breaking down the concept behind Hyperfuse

In addition to the Hyperfuse, KD and his Team USA teammates will be wearing Nike’s new Hyperelite uniform as part of their uniform. They are essentially the lightest, most durable uniforms Nike has ever produced. The jerseys have 13 inches less fabric than a typical basketball jersey and the shorts weigh less wet (10.1 oz.) than a normal pair does dry (13.6 oz.).

Here’s a look at KD and Yi Jianlian wearing the new Hyperelite uniforms:

Take a look at this piece from ESPN.com on the influence Kevin’s mom Wanda Pratt has had on his basketball career.

Before he had even reached the age of 10, Kevin Durant had settled on his future profession.

He wanted to be an NBA player. It was that simple.

So he sat down his mother, Wanda Pratt, to make his plans known.

Pratt, a single parent of two for most of Durant’s childhood, did what any mother would, promising to help him any way she could. But even Durant wasn’t prepared for how far Pratt was willing go.

She enlisted a family friend, Taras “Stink” Brown, to help with the physical part; Brown would run a young Durant ragged with endless amounts of sprints and suicides up and down hills in his hometown of Seat Pleasant, Md.

Pratt, meanwhile, would take care of the drive — both by carting Durant and his older brother, Tony, to practices upon practices and by making sure he stayed focused.

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