Kevin Durant is one of the greatest NBA players ever.
But he would not have made it if it wasn’t for his first coach who he has honoured on the back of his jersey throughout his career.
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Bar his spell with the Brooklyn Nets, the Phoenix Suns forward has always worn the number 35 on his back and there’s a heart-breaking reason behind it.
Here, talkSPORT.com takes a look at why he wears the digits…
Durant wears 35 in honour of his former coach.
Charles Craig was the now-NBA great’s mentor in basketball.
Craig, also known as Big Chucky, was Durant’s first coach at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and worked with many kids in Washington.
But tragically, he was shot and killed at the age of 35 in April 2005.
From his freshman year at the University of Texas to being drafted in the NBA in 2007, Durant then chose the age at which his mentor died as his jersey number.
Speaking at the beginning of his NBA career, Durant told the Oklahoman: “I just want as many people as I can to know why I wear it and the significance of the number.
“That’s my goal is to get him out there and keep his name alive.”
Durant wore 35 for the Seattle Supersonics and then the Oklahoma City Thunder after their franchise change, while also donning the digits at the Golden State Warriors.
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He became a two-time NBA champion with the Warriors and wore the number as he also picked up two NBA Finals MVP awards.
There was a change when he joined the Brooklyn Nets in 2019 though, as he switched to No.7, but he explained the reason why at the time.
Durant said: “35 was chosen in honour of someone very near and dear to me. I will always honour him and honour the number 35.
“But as I start this new chapter in my basketball life, the number I’ll be wearing on my back is the number 7, next time you see me on the floor.”
He spent four years at the Nets wearing seven before a move to the Suns last year.
And that is when 35 returned to the back of his jersey and coach Craig’s memory continues to live on through Durant on the court.
The forward is entering his 17th year in the NBA and he has certainly done his mentor proud.
