KD will grace his 3rd Sports Illustrated cover of his career with the release of Sports Illustrated’s 2010-11 NBA Preview. KD is on the cover with teammates Nenad Kristic and Thabo Sefolosha.

There was some controversy around why two “role players” on the Thunder would be on the cover with a “Superstar” like Kevin Durant. Well, KD only wanted to be on the cover of the magazine if Nenad and Thabo were on the cover with him. Both players start for the Thunder, but don’t get much media coverage. KD felt it was time for his fellow starters to get some time in the spotlight. Here’s what Kevin told Fanhouse.com about the cover:

“People don’t really know about them too much for some odd reason,” said Durant, who didn’t play against the Nuggets due to Thunder coach Scott Brooks giving him his first game off this preseason. “So it was good to have them in there with me … People don’t really talk about them too much, but they’re playing a role. They’re guys we have to have on this team. So I want everybody to know how much they’re important to us and what great teammates they are. So it was the chance to voice my opinion, and I’m glad Sports Illustrated put them on the cover with me.”

The leadership and team first mentality of Kevin Durant is going to take this Thunder team places. Not too many All-NBA First Team players would take a stance to make sure that lesser known teammates are recognized with them. Please don’t change, KD.

Anyhow, here’s the release from SI on the Thunder’s NBA Preview cover story:

Kevin Durant graces the cover of this week’s issue—along with Oklahoma City Thunder teammates Thabo Sefolosha and Nenad Krstic—with the billing Thunderball: Kevin Durant & Co. are Growing Up Fast. It is the third time Durant has taken top billing on the cover following appearances on the Oct. 27, 2008 (regional), and Feb. 19, 2007, issues.

Senior writer Lee Jenkins (@si_leejenkins) learned why Oklahoma City residents have been so quick to embrace the Thunder: They view the team as one of the most prominent examples of how the city has redefined itself following the April 19, 1995, bombings that killed 168 people (page 66): “The Ford Center is only a mile from the [Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum], but it is more closely connected than that. In the years following the bombing the political landscape in Oklahoma City underwent a radical shift. A traditionally conservative constituency voted for every tax initiative put on the ballot. It didn’t matter whether the initiative was for parks or sidewalks or an arena,Oklahoma City always voted to tax itself. ‘Every time,’ says Mayor Mick Cornett. ‘It was unprecedented.’ In March 2008, with the Sonics’ move hanging on the outcome, 62% of voters passed an initiative to extend a 1% sales tax that would pay for a $100 million renovation of the Ford Center and a $21 million practice facility. A month later they had their team, a chance to tell the nation they were back, in full throat.”

Since Durant’s arrival the Thunder has become one of the tightest-knit organizations in the league. The whole team—players and front office—runs hills together twice a week every September, and the players go to Wing Stop and playing video games at each other’s houses after every practice. Jenkins continues: “They are the organic superteam, farm to table, with 24 appearances coming up on national television, after being scheduled for only three the past two years combined. Durant was MVP of the world championships and is the emerging MVP of the NBA, but when he walks into the Thunder practice facility, you’d swear he is still 3—29 [the team’s record through the first 32 games of their inaugural season in Oklahoma City]. He has come to view that mark as a badge more than a blemish, and should he win his championship, the experience will surely be more intense because he had to suffer for it. Durant is interested not in being pitted as a counterpoint to the Heat, or to his peers, only in playing ball and running hills and eating wings and firing up another video game in a house full of noisy teammates.”

Make sure to check out the full cover story on the Thunder HERE

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