Year in Review: Durant declares for NBA draft
Kevin Durant officially declared for the NBA Draft on April 10, almost one month after Texas ended its season, and the speculation about the freshman's future began.
"Knowing that I have developed a lot in college, I thought it was my time to go," Kevin Durant said. "It's been my dream for a while, and I felt like I had to take this opportunity."
Kevin Durant said the decision was made the previous weekend in Los Angeles where he accepted the Wooden Award - after already having won the Naismith Trophy, the Adolph Rupp Trophy and the Oscar Robertson Trophy. He was also named the NABC, CBS/Chevrolet and The Associated Press National Player of the Year.
Kevin Durant led the Longhorns this season with 25.8 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. He broke a long list of national records and became the first freshman to win any national player of the year award.
Despite sweeping away all the hardware, Kevin Durant said it was still the hardest decision he has ever had to make in his life.
"It was tough knowing that I was going to leave my teammates, but I had to make the right decision for myself," Kevin Durant said. "It was time to take my game to the next level, and they all understood that."
Kevin Durant already has plans of being one of the best - if not the best - player in the NBA someday. The 18-year-old knows he has plenty of time to develop, but still wants to reach the top as quickly as possible.
"I just don't want to be a player in the NBA," Kevin Durant said. "I want to have an impact. That was one [of the big parts] of the decision - not going in and being a regular player, so I felt like it was my time to go."
As far as the NBA Draft is concerned, Kevin Durant's parents have selected Aaron Goodwin to be their son's agent. Goodwin was the first agent of Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James but was fired by James two years ago. Goodwin also represents other notable NBA players such as Dwight Howard, Chris Webber, Gary Payton and Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
After the decision was made this weekend, Kevin Durant said all he could do was sit in his room and smile.
"It's been my dream ever since I was young, and I've been through so much on the basketball court," Kevin Durant said. "I know I've got to keep working, and I know I'm not there yet, but when I step back and look at it, I just smile."
Kevin Durant walked into the press conference in his Texas practice jersey - just after finishing a workout with his teammates, who also came to show their support.
He wanted to let people know that though he may be leaving Texas next year, he's still a student at the University of Texas and the NBA isn't going to disrupt his focus.
"Nothing has changed," Kevin Durant said. "I'm excited, and it's a new challenge, but I'm still a part of this team, I'm always going to be a part of this team. I'm still going to go to class. I'm not going to do anything to hurt the program."
Kevin Durant said he plans to earn his degree in the future.
On draft day, Kevin Durant said he will give the NBA commissioner a Texas hat and flash a Hook'em, the way LaMarcus Aldridge did a year ago.
"I'm always going to be a Longhorn, and I'm always going to be rooting for them," Kevin Durant said.
Originally ran April 11
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