I’ve said this for a while now so I apologize if you’ve heard this from me before, but I always say Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki are the two most humble, grateful superstars I’ve ever met in sports—and that’s counting the time I’ve spent in MLB clubhouses and NFL locker rooms. These two are just as real behind the scenes as they are on camera. I typically cross paths with Durant 3-4 times a year, and he always treats people the same way. My OKC counterparts have said before he’s just as good of a person off the court as he is a player on it. From my time around him, I believe that to be true.
So when I watched Durant’s speech this week after he was named the 2014 KIA NBA Most Valuable Player, I wasn’t surprised by the way he treated his time on the podium. He spent the entire speech thanking his teammates (individually), his coaches, the OKC fans, his family and his mother.
No praise about himself or his accomplishments on the court. It was all about others.
Especially his mom.
He was so emotional during that speech, as was his mother, and it was an absolutely fitting way for Durant to receive the biggest honor of his basketball career. He spoke about the sacrifices his mom made to ensure he and his brothers had enough to eat every night, how she worked hard to keep them safe and on the right track toward success.
For me, personally, it was an MVP speech that will stand out for years to come because it had far less to do about basketball and far more to do with the relationships Durant brought to the forefront and the type of message he sent to kids and fans who were watching on television. One of the first things Durant said in the speech was that he understood basketball was just a platform for him to send the right message as a role model. To me, he’s been highly successful in that area, too.
I watched the speech again today on NBATV—a fitting thing to do on Mother’s Day. If there’s any one thing you can take away from Durant’s speech on this particular afternoon, it is to make sure you give your mom a call today and tell her what she means to you. Mothers are a big part of all of our lives, and it’s important to make sure they know that.
I’m sure mine is reading this right now and will text me when she’s done.
So on behalf of Timberwolves.com I’d just like to take a second to follow in Durant’s footsteps and thank all the moms out there for all the love and dedication they show every day. Have a great day and find a little time to relax. You deserve it.
Happy Mother’s Day!