Throughout the NBA’s history, only a few players have been more dedicated to their craft than Suns star Kevin Durant. The two-time NBA champion is always looking for a way to play basketball. He is one of the most active players on the court outside of NBA competition. His love for the game led him to move to Los Angeles after getting a taste of the unique competition in the Drew League.
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Durant isn’t a novice when it comes to performing in pro-am basketball. Ahead of the 2011-12 NBA season, The Players Association and the owners couldn’t agree on a new CBA. As a result, the fourth and most recent lockout ensued.
This pushed the start of the season until Christmas Day. The break in play led players like Durant to join pro-am leagues for on-court action. He debuted in the Drew League during the lockout, and his experience opened his eyes to another level of competition.
In a guest appearance on The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis, Durant revealed in detail the profound impact of hooping the infamous pro-am league.
He said,“I threw it off the glass and dunked it and the crowd went stupid. That’s why I was like, ‘Yeah, this LA basketball is the feeling I wanted to come out here and hoop.’ That’s why I moved to LA. Just to get that different level of hoop.”
Durant’s involvement in the Drew League made serious waves around the basketball world. At the time, he was one of the best young players in the NBA, having led the league in scoring with 27.7 points per game and finishing fifth in MVP voting.
Durant returned in 2013 for a heated duel against DeMar DeRozan. He finished the game with 35 points and 17 rebounds but was on the losing side against Money Gang by a score of 92-90. KD had the opportunity to win the game with a three-pointer but missed it.
The energy of the level of basketball in LA fueled Durant like no other city. He eventually moved to LA in the offseason to make it his home for training for the majority of his career.
The city is a hub for some of the greatest and most competitive basketball players. Durant is one of the many NBA players to benefit from the rich basketball culture in LA.
