“It means a lot to be named a starter,” Durant said. “I’ve put in a lot of hard work and it shows that I have been doing things the right way and I really appreciate the fans for voting for me. It is a dream come true. I’ve got to maintain this level throughout the rest of my career.”
For the second consecutive season, Durant is the league’s leading scorer at 28.6 points per game. He’s coming off a career-high-tying 47-point effort in Wednesday’s overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a game in which he also grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds.
This will be Durant’s second All-Star appearance after being named a reserve by the Western Conference coaches last season. Durant is the first All-Star starter in Thunder history.
“It is special,” Durant said. “It is special to be on the first team as a starter representing Oklahoma City. It feels special to take this team to the playoffs for the first time and to be named an All-Star starter is a great accomplishment. I need to continue to keep working hard. I thank my teammates and the fans and my coaches for sticking behind me and I’ll try to represent the best that I can.”
Head Coach Scott Brooks said that Durant being recognized for what he does on the court is a testament to him doing things the right way.
“Just how he represents our team, our organization, our city, we should all be proud how he handles himself,” Brooks said. “He’s a very humble kid, a hard-working kid and he plays for the right reasons and he’s a great teammate on and off the court.”
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