Kevin Durant is undeniably one of the greatest players of NBA has ever seen. With two NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors (2017, 2018) and four Olympic gold medals with Team USADurant’s legacy is etched in basketball history. Phoenix Suns The star has won gold at each of his Olympic appearances: London 2012, Rio de Janeiro 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Beyond his titles, Durant has accomplished remarkable feats throughout his career. Not only does he hold the record record for most points scored by Team USA at the Olympicsbut He is also the national team’s all-time leading scorer..
After 16 years in the NBA, Durant has inspired many young players who now share the court with him. One of these players is the Memphis Grizzlies player Jaren Jackson Jr., who recently admitted that Durant was his childhood hero.
“KD has been doing this for a long time. He was my favorite player when I was younger,” Jackson said during an appearance on the “The Old Man and the Three” podcast. “I saw KD shoot 13-14, all pull-ups. In Memphis. I wasn’t playing. All pull-ups. That basket thing is just annoying to him. He’s just trying to have fun.”
Memphis Grizzlies No. 13 Jaren Jackson Jr. celebrates scoring as Brooklyn Nets No. 7 Kevin Durant looks on. Justin Ford/Getty Images
Anthony Edwards echoes Jackson’s admiration for KD
In February 2024, Anthony Edwardsthe star goalkeeper of the Minnesota The Timberwolvesmade headlines when he declared Durant his GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Edwards, who grew up watching Durant, confessed: “He’s my favorite player of all time. I’ve always been a big fan.”
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In an interview with Fanatics’ Day with the old one NBA Player Jalen Rose Edwards shared the mixed emotions he felt after the Timberwolves eliminated Durant’s Suns in the playoff semifinals.
Edwards admitted that beating his childhood idol wasn’t as satisfying as one might hope. “I’m not going to lie… I felt a little bad, just because he’s my favorite player of all time,” Edwards said, according to Clutch points. “I didn’t mean to send him home like that. You know what I mean? It happened, man, and I felt bad.”
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Edwards also revealed what it feels like to play alongside his idol Durant at the Paris 2024 Olympics:This is all I ever dreamed of,” Edwards said according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, specializing in soccer, NBA and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he took his first steps as a writer. Gianni has covered major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals and Grand Slam tournaments such as Roland Garros. His ability to report on events in real time and write under pressure has established him as a valuable member of a top-level team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, where he covers a wide range of sports, including European soccer, MLS and the NBA. Gianni graduated in Communications from Deportea in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
