Kevin Durant – Perseverance, Faith and Mom Create A Man of Impact
Kevin Durant is one of the best players to ever play the game of Basketball. He has won championships in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and all through his life. He has was won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. But is not just his on the court feats that make him special. It is where he came from, what he had to overcome and the man he is today.
Durant grew up in Washington, D.C. His father left his family when he was very young. So, his mom raised him as a single parent from when he was very young. They moved from apartment to apartment. Times were tough. And because he was very tall, Kevin was different from everyone else his age. Sometimes, he was bullied.
Despite the challenges, there was always a lot of love and support in his family. His mom wrote a note that hung over Kevin’s bed: “Always believe that anything is possible.”
Kevin was very tall at an early age. And he liked basketball. So when he was about 10 years old and told his mom that he dreamed of being an NBA player, she did everything she could to help him.
He worked very hard at improving himself. He failed many times but kept getting up. For 6 years straight, he practiced basketball 8 hours a day! This was on top of his homework and playing for his school teams!
But it was not just hard that made him the man this he is. From his mom and family, he learned to always be kind and humble.
Now that Kevin has achieved so much success on the court, he has focused a lot of his time on giving back. His foundation helps to fight homelessness, build basketball courts in low-income areas and help at-risk children go to college.
In this inspiring video, Kevin talks about his childhood, his fellow players and how his mother helped him become the person he is today:
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about Durant’s accomplishments here on Wikipedia
- Check out the Kevin Durant Foundation’s website to learn more about this great cause.
- Watch other great IMK stories about children and adults that exhibit perseverance and faith
- Read IMK’s list great quotes for kids about hard work and doing your best
- Check out other inspiring IMK stories and quotes about sports and basketball
Topics for Discussion:
- What is most special about Kevin Durant?
- What are some activities that you love to do? How often do you practice them?
- When do you try your hardest at something? What inspires you to do so? What is the result? How does it make you feel?
- Talk about a person you know that has overcome a lot in their life. Is there anything you can learn from them?
- Can you remember a story that you have read where the characters benefited from their hard work? Or how about a story where a character did not work hard?
Take Action:
- If you would like to get involved with Kevin Durant’s Foundation and causes go here.
- Choose one thing in your life where you are not doing your best and make a commitment to change this. Start doing it and see how it makes you feel.
- Work hard at something that matters to you. Find a cause that you care about, such as animals, and find something you can do to help. Click here for a great list of ideas to help animals from the ASPCA or here for ways to help the environment.
