Kevin Durant, whose skill and talent have etched an enduring legacy in the NBA, is one of the most recognisable names in basketball. From the day he was drafted, he became a superstar and paved the way to become one of the best and most talented players ever played in the NBA. He’s played for many teams and the USA National team and has had many achievements.
All The Jerseys Durant Has Worn
Knowing his talent and dedication, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many teams wanted him to wear their jersey, but not everybody was as lucky as the few teams he has played for and has left a mark. That’s why basketball enthusiasts and even hard-core fans should at least have one of his jerseys. Let’s delve into Durant’s professional life and see whose jerseys he has won throughout his career.
Seattle SuperSonics / Oklahoma City Thunder
Durant started his professional career with the SuperSonics that later became Oklahoma City Thunders and here he laid the foundation of his career. The same year he started playing in the team, he managed to join Carmelo Antony and LeBron James as the only teenagers in league history to average at least 20 points per game over an entire season. This is when Kevin Durant’s basketball jersey number 35 became so famous and he was considered the future of basketball. Durant spent nine years playing for this team, going through many ups and downs, until he decided to further his career by moving to another team.
Golden State Warriors
Durant switched the blue, orange and yellow colours for the golden yellow and white of the Golden State Warriors. Even though this decision shocked the world of basketball, KD seamlessly fit into the team and elevated it with his scoring and defence capabilities and within his first year there he won his first championship.
Brooklyn Nets
After three years of wearing the Golden State Warriors jersey, Durant decided to move to another team and continue his legacy and he moved on to the black and white colours of the Brooklyn Nets. There, he was faced with many injuries that prevented him from playing for some time. However, his time there wasn’t just related to statistics. Due to his skills and capabilities, he turned into a sort of leader during some critical times and this leadership led the Nets and turned them into legitimate championship contenders. This and his work outside of the court endeared the fans and Kevin Durant’s basketball jersey was bought quite frequently by the people who cheered him on.
Phoenix Suns
At the beginning of 2023, Durant was traded by the Nets to the Phoenix Suns and thanks to his ability to adapt easily, Durant fit in perfectly in this team. Unfortunately, he got injured here as well, but that did not stop him from breaking a few personal records and climbing up on the all-time leading list and forever etching his name into the history of the NBA.
Durant’s Achievements
Starting from his first days as a professional basketball player up until now, Durant’s achievements just keep piling up. When he was first drafted for the Seatle SuperSonicks, a team that was struggling, he managed to shine and received the NBA Rookie of the Year award. The team’s relocation did not impact Durant’s performance and he increased his scoring, assists and steals from the previous year. He was part of the All-Star Game five years in a row and the first-team All-NBA honours during the 2009-2010, the same year he led the Thunder to its first playoff appearance in its new home.
Moving to another team didn’t stop him from thriving and he helped the team to set an NBA record by opening the postseason with 12 straight victories. The dominance continued in the finals where his team lost just one game on its way to the league championship. That year Durant averaged 35.2 points per game and was named the finals MVP. After being traded to the Phoenix Suns, his scoring didn’t diminish and his hard work put him on the top 10 all-time scoring leaderboard, passing Moses Malone and joining players such as Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron James. He was part of the U.S. men’s national basketball team that won the gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro as well as the 2020 Tokyo games which were delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Impact on Fans
When you’re an athlete you automatically agree to the good and bad things that come along with the sport and the fame. From his beginning he was considered as one of the greatest players of this generation and his stats are here to prove that. Fans glorify professional athletes, but sometimes they place immense pressure on athletes, which can affect both performance and decisions like whether or not to play or stay in that team. This is also the case with Kevin Durant. Due to his injuries, he has been severely criticised by the fans, but thanks to his incredible dedication and hard work he’s proven to them countless times that when he’s ready to play he gives his all for the team and that’s what makes him a great role model for any aspiring basketball player. His name is known worldwide by basketball fanatics and people who aren’t that much into basketball. He’s in the sixth place of the top-10 top-selling NBA jerseys, which tells us how beloved he is.
In tracing Durant’s journey through the different colours and jerseys he has worn, we realise the impact he’s had on basketball and his ability to fit in in every team making him a symbol of resilience and hard work. As he continues to evolve and inspire, the mark he’s left on NBA history and its fans continues to grow. Thanks to his dedication and constant growth as a player, every basketball fan knows who he is. He’s Kevin Durant.