Kevin Durant joins Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as members of the All-NBA First Team for the 2009-10 season.

Durant earns his first All-NBA First Team selection after becoming the youngest player (21 years and 197 days) to lead the league in scoring (30.1 ppg). His 756 free throws made was the sixth highest single-season total in NBA history and the highest since Michael Jordan made 833 in the 1986-87 season, while his .900 percentage from the line ranked sixth overall. Durant earned NBA Western Conference Player of the Month honors in April after scoring 30-plus points in seven consecutive games to close the regular season.

You’re seeing a different side to Kevin Durant right now.

The national spotlight is shining bright on him and his Thunder teammates. As the league’s youngest scoring champion in decades, his every move is being dissected and analyzed. Everyone wants to talk to him. Most of the questions are repetitive, the answers regurgitated. Obviously, because it’s the playoffs the stakes are so much higher. So KD is learning how to adjust.

He’s keeping his small circle of family and friends close to him. Twitter and his blog can wait until the offseason. KD just wants to focus on winning games.

He and his Thunder teammates got their first win of its first-round playoff series against the defending champion L.A. Lakers in Game 3, outlasting them, 101-96, before a one of the most hyped up crowds he’s ever played before.

And on a night when his offense wasn’t as consistent as we’ve seen this season – he scored 29 points on 8-for-24 shooting – KD stepped it up in other areas.

He grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds, dished four assists and had a key block down the stretch.

He also had a chance to defend the reigning NBA Finals MVP, Kobe Bryant, in a tight fourth quarter, holding him to just four points in the final frame. Kevin used his length and quickness to both challenge Kobe’s shots and keep him from getting to the rim.

The national media took notice, saying that KD had arrived. Everyone knew he could score in bunches, but defend? Well, that’s something they’ve never seen. Then again, they haven’t followed him as closely throughout the regular season.

“Other parts of my game get overshadowed because I score the basketball a lot this season but I’ve just been trying to play hard,” KD told reporters on Friday. “A lot of people don’t recognize that so that’s what last night was all about, playing hard. Kobe Bryant’s the best player in the world and some of those shots he missed it’s just because he missed. Maybe two or three of those shots I made him miss. But I know he’s going to come back more focused and more ready for the game but hopefully he’ll miss those shots that he takes next game.”

This has been a great, big learning process for Kevin and his teammates, most of whom are playing in their first-ever playoff series.

KD said he’s learning something new each game. And he’s hoping that those lessons will help him come Game 4 on Saturday night at the Ford Center, where the Thunder will look to even its best-of-seven series at two games apiece.

“I’m just being more comfortable,” KD said. “The first game was kind of like a feeling-out process. The second game I kind of knew how they were going to play me and knew different spots where I could score, rebound and pass the ball. The third game was getting comfortable so hopefully that fourth game I get more and more comfortable and help my team win.”

-Team KD

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 KD II 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.

What’s good everyone? We had another good win last night. Russell had a career high 15 dimes!!! Hope you all had a chance to check us out. We have another tough one coming up on Friday against the Celtics.

Not sure if you heard, but I was recently put on the cover of the new ESPN Magazine as their “NEXT” athlete for 2010. I’m in some pretty elite company, too. Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Alex Rodriguez, LeBron James and Derek Jeter have also been NEXT athletes.

It’s an honor to be a part of that company. It’s just a blessing, but to really be up there I’ve just got to continue to work hard and be the person I am. I haven’t read the story yet but I’ll read that one. It’s pretty big time to be on the cover of any magazine. I was just honored. My family is real excited for me. They’re more excited than I am. They just congratulated me and it’s something that no one can take away from me.

Make sure you get a copy of the magazine. Also make sure you read this interview I did with Adena Andrews of NBA.com.

Russell also interviewed me about being NEXT. Check it out:

I’ll be back with another post later this week.

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

KD is having success both on and off of the court this season. Wednesday he was named ESPN The Magazine’s NEXT athlete for 2010 in the publication’s annual NEXT issue.

The first issue of ESPN The Magazine was a NEXT cover with Kobe Bryant, Eric Lindros, Alex Rodriguez and Kordell Stewart. Other NEXT athletes include Adrian Peterson, Dwight Howard, Yao Ming, LeBron James and Derek Jeter.

Make sure you pick up a copy of ESPN the Magazines NEXT issue with KD on the cover.