What’s going on everyone? Our USA Basketball training camp is winding down here in Vegas, and Thursday was very memorable because I was able to share the court with two of my teammates, Jeff and Russell, for a few minutes during a scrimmage against the Select Team. It was pretty neat to be out there with the guys. We’re just trying to represent OKC and USA!

We also had a pretty good practice before we scrimmaged, focusing mostly on defensive schemes and roles. I was trying to get after it on the defensive end when it came time to play. I know I got a bit better as a defender last season but I know there’s always a lot of room for improvement.

I gotta say, there’s been quite a bit of media out here this week. It seems like there’s new reporters every day. So of course I’m getting a lot of the same questions, and one big one I keep getting is how I handled my contract situation. I know I haven’t blogged about my contract extension, but I think I owe it to you all to let you know how it went down and why I handled it the way I did.

First off, I’ve always said that Oklahoma City is a place I want to be and I couldn’t imagine not playing for the Thunder, especially with these great teammates and coaches and support staff. So when I got approached with a contract extension once negotiations could start, signing it wasn’t a very hard decision. It was really a no-brainer. If people were paying attention to what I’ve been saying for the last three years, then they’d know my heart has always been with the Thunder. This organization has been moving in the right direction since the day I got here.

Now as far as announcing my signing through Twitter…..c’mon, what else would you expect?!?! You all know how much I love Twitter and Facebook and social media in general. I’ve met so many fans through social media. That’s how a lot of us athletes connect with fans in this day and age. I love giving out free tickets or Nike gear and answering all your questions, even the crazy funny ones. So I didn’t think twice to announce my contract extension through Twitter. I wanted to make sure all my fans and supporters were the first to know, and most importantly to get the news straight from me!

Now, the friends and family and fans who know me weren’t surprised that it’s how I let everyone know. But some people keep asking why I didn’t announce it on national television or something like that. I really get a laugh out of that. I keep telling people how my situation was much different from all the other big names out there. First of all, I was just up for a contract extension. LeBron, Chris Bosh and D-Wade, those guys were unrestricted free agents, so there was more hype with their decision, more people who wanted to know what was gonna go down. That’s a big difference.

And as I told someone the other day, LeBron James is the biggest name in sports. Nothing he does is ever going to go quiet. You can’t blame him for what happened and how he made his decision. Again, my situation was totally different.

But whether I signed the contract extension this summer or next summer, once I stepped on the floor here in Las Vegas for this Team USA camp, everything else went out the door for me. I’m always focused on what’s in front of me. Of course I’m glad the contract is done. It’s a blessing. But to be here right now, I just want to be focused and try to do something I’ve never done before, which is play for the USA team.

So hopefully that explains everything for y’all. I’ll try to get another blog up before we leave Vegas this weekend.

Take care!

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

What’s good everyone? It’s been ridiculously hot out here in Las Vegas, where I’m training with USA Basketball for a spot on the National team that’s going to Turkey for the World Championships next month.

I know everyone’s saying that I’m a lock to make the team but that hasn’t stopped me from going all-out during practices and scrimmages. I just want to prove that I really belong.

Today is the third day of camp and it’s been a lot of fun so far. It was kind of like getting thrown into the fire a little bit, the coaching staff kind of testing us out and seeing where we were conditioning-wise. Some guys are in great shape and some guys are just getting their feet under them. I’ve been working hard for this moment, so I’ve been feeling pretty good out there.

I’m just extra motivated to be able to represent the USA and help bring back the gold medal. We haven’t won the FIBA World Championships since 1994! I was just a little kid then.

Some reporters have told me this week about just how close I was to making the 2008 Olympic team that won the gold medal in Beijing, and to be honest I didn’t realize how close I was to getting on that roster. I was just going out there playing hard and trying to learn as much as I could. Of course I wanted to be on that team. Who wouldn’t want to win a gold medal? But it was still an honor to be a part of the Select Team that helped get the Redeem Team ready for the big show.

Even though we weren’t there to win the gold medal, we felt like we helped those guys out and hopefully I’m a part of a gold medal-winning team in the very near future.

One thing I’ve got on my side is experience with the National team. This is my fourth summer training with the USA Basketball program, so I know a little bit more about what they want me to do than some of the other guys. And I’m a natural leader. I lead by example. If I see something I can help my teammates with, I’ll talk as well. I just want to go out there and be the best player I can be and just come out there and help everybody out, because I know they’ll help me out as well.

It’s also been pretty cool to have my teammates Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook in camp as well. I can’t describe how incredible it would be for all three of us to make the roster this summer. We also have our team trainer out here, Joe Sharpe, so the Thunder has been well represented. Not to mention that a bunch of our coaching staff and front office has stopped by through the week as well. We really appreciate that kind of support.

I’m hearing that LeBron and D-Wade are going to be in town this week. I already saw Chris Paul, so being able to catch up with those guys and hear what they have to say about representing USA in a big tournament will really mean something.

Well, that’s it for now. I’ll try to put up another blog before Friday’s practice. I’ve been getting so many different questions — and so many of the same questions — that I might have to share some stuff with you guys.

Take care y’all!

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

What’s going on everyone? I just arrived in New York City, my second time here in a month! I’m here for some more announcements and appearances that I’ll fill you in on later. But in the meantime I just wanted to catch you guys up on what’s been going on with me.

If you follow me on Twitter and Facebook then you probably saw that I had a good time on my tour through China with Nike Basketball. This was my second time in China but this year was different because both my dad and James Harden came along for the trip and they helped make it a lot of fun. We ran some camps with Nike, taught skills, met a lot of kids and just let everyone know how much hard work it takes to get to this level. It was all about interacting with the kids and letting them know that if they want to reach the NBA they have to work harder than the next person.

Aside from basketball my favorite part of the trip, hands-down, was our visit to the Great Wall of China. It’s more than just a wall, it’s a significant part of history that’s been there for thousands of years. Walking the Great Wall and knowing that not everyone gets this opportunity was such an experience. And it was a good, hard workout, too!

I also had a chance to hang out with some pretty chill panda bears. I swear, they were like humans. That was another highlight of mine.

After China I was back on the road to New York City to help Nike and USA Basketball announce the World Basketball Festival that will take place in Manhattan in mid August, and I’m proud that I was one of the guys who helped them with the announcement.

It’ll be a great chance to make sure fans know all about the World Championships. That’s a main goal, so the World Basketball Festival should be a blast. I can’t wait to play hoops outside in Times Square and I hope everyone else is, too. I know it’s not the Olympics, but hopefully people will get excited for us when we go over to Turkey. We’re all looking forward to that experience.

Also, I’ve been getting a lot of questions as to why I chose jersey No. 5. Well, I took the KG concept: there’s five guys on the floor so I want that number five to represent every guy on the floor. USA Basketball is a team thing. It’s not just me. It’s not just about the point guard or the small forward, it’s about everybody. It’s not about what I can do, it’s about how our team can operate together, so that’s why I picked it.

Well, that’s it for now. I’ll be back tomorrow to talk about what I’m doing in NYC this time around. And then comeback on Thursday, too, when I’ll give my thoughts on the NBA Finals and the NBA Draft that will be held later that evening.

THUNDER UP!

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