Kevin Durant has risen way above his personal criticism.
Sure, he was ripped by some for leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder and signing with the reigning NBA champion Warriors. And it always hasn’t be smooth sailing with superstar Steph Curry and aggressive center Draymond Green.
But Kevin Durant’s off-court endeavors prove more about his heart and soul than anything he does while wearing a Golden State uniform. His KD Charitable Foundation is making a difference with at-risk youngsters not only in his hometown of Washington, D.C., and his pro landing places Oklahoma City and Oakland.
Through his “Build It and They Will Ball” initiative, Durant has donated millions of dollars to erect basketball courts and fund youth leagues in 13 cities – from Austin, Texas, to Seattle, Washington, and from Berlin, Germany to Taipei, Taiwan. He has provided basketball shoes and uniforms to thousands of kids who are where Durant was at his first crossroads between bad stuff and basketball.
“When I was young, playing basketball was one of the things that kept me out of trouble and kept me focused on my growth and maturity into the man I would eventually become,” Durant says. “For that reason, I’ve always wanted to play a leadership role in communities and neighborhoods – like the one I grew up in – and give kids a chance to choose health, teamwork and basketball over some of the other negative influences they may face.”
This should be a nationwide initiative in all pro sports, encouraging millionaire players to give back in tangible ways.
The NFL, the richest of all pro leagues, could prove it is serious about safety in football by donating millions of dollars of equipment to youth leagues across the country. Start with mouth guards for every player and, yes, go ahead and write, “Provided by the NFL because we are serious about safety” on every piece of plastic.
And move on to helmets and neck pads and every other kind of safety gear. If Kevin Durant can do it by himself, imagine what can be done with a unified effort from other players and all teams.
As Nike likes to say: “Just Do It.”
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