When Kevin Durant was a baby and his brother Anthony was a toddler, their father abandoned the family, leaving Wanda, who was only 21, to raise both of them alone.
Wanda Durant, Kevin Durant’s mother, is basketball’s top performer in a vital position and, according to her son, “the real MVP.” This is despite Kevin Durant’s two NBA Finals MVP awards (in 2014 and 2017).
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When Kevin and Anthony were small children, their father abandoned the family, and their mother Wanda became a single parent at the age of 21.
The odds seemed to be piled squarely against us. Kevin noted during his 2014 Most Valuable Player award acceptance speech, “By the time you were 21, you were a single parent with two boys.” “We had no right to be here in the first place.” You were successful in convincing us. By providing for us, you allowed us to avoid sleeping in our cars and eating out of cans. Even if you weren’t hungry, you offered food to the rest of us. You probably fell asleep with an empty stomach. You made numerous sacrifices for both of us. You must be the league’s most valuable player.
Wanda believes that the fact that she accomplished her goals via hard work inspired her sons to put up the effort required to achieve. “I continued to give them my love, my time, my presence, and being as engaged as I possibly could,” she said in an interview with NBA.com. “As I reflected on my life, I came to the conclusion that my sons were able to realize their ambitions and follow in my footsteps because I never gave up hope and never gave up on them.”
She has been Kevin’s most ardent supporter on and off the court, and she is now pursuing a career as a philanthropist and motivational speaker with the goal of improving people’s lives in disadvantaged areas.
So who exactly is Wanda Durant? Continue reading to learn more about her extraordinary life story, numerous acts of kindness, and the important work she is currently doing.
She conducts speeches on a daily basis to motivate people.Wanda’s concept, according to her website, MamaDurant.com, is based on the belief that “where there is hope, there is possibility.” On her website, she says, “Her passion is to inspire underserved children, single mothers, and communities to move beyond their immediate circumstances and aim for higher heights in life.”
She has spoken at the White House United State of Women Summit, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference, and the Ford Foundation.
Her spouse and she share administrative duties at the Durant Family Foundation.The organization’s mission is “to enrich the lives of at-risk youth from low-income backgrounds through educational, athletic, and social programs,” as the name implies.
The Durants, on the other hand, think that numerous of the group’s projects are especially significant to them. Kevin’s hometown of Bowie, Maryland, is located in Prince George’s County, thus the foundation donated $500,000 to the local university in 2022 to upgrade its basketball facilities.
The spot that I call “home.” We have a strong relationship to the people of PG County as well as the areas around Bowie State University. It was Maryland’s first historically black college or university (HBCU), and Kevin played basketball there, so everything came together nicely for this to happen.
Wanda is associated with several groups, including the Single Parents Support Network, Baller Moms, the Boys & Girls Club of America, and the Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, in addition to the philanthropic foundation she and her family founded. She also serves on the board of directors of Tigress Financial Partners, an organization dedicated to increasing women’s financial literacy.
Kevin’s most passionate booster and supporter, both on and off the field.Mama Durant has been outspoken about her love for her child in interviews and on television.
In an interview with Essence in 2022, she stated, “I’m Kevin’s biggest fan.” That settles it; from now on, we’ll just call him Kevin. As a professional athlete, I am aware that there will be admirers and detractors on both sides of the arena. Whatever happens, the fact that I am still his mother will not change. It doesn’t matter what other people think about it. As a person, I find him to be extremely pleasant.
Throughout Kevin’s rehabilitation from his injuries, she has served as a focal point for his cheerleaders and well-wishers.
Durant missed Game 5 of the NBA Finals due to a series of serious injuries suffered during the 2018-19 season. He missed the game due to illnesses such as a calf strain and an Achilles tendon rupture. During an appearance on Good Morning America, Wanda thanked her global fan base, saying, “I’m just so grateful, and our family is grateful to the fans all over the world who have sent us their prayers, contacted me through my social media, and sent general responses.” As a result, “We are extremely grateful.”She has gained recognition from the film industry.The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story, a biographical film about Wanda’s life, aired on Lifetime in 2016. The plot concentrated around a family’s efforts to inspire and motivate their two sons to succeed despite the difficult living conditions they were forced to endure. Queen Latifah produced the film, and Pauletta Washington performed the primary role.
She has no problems about publicly expressing her approval of her son’s career choice.Wanda has consistently defended Kevin when he has been reprimanded during his basketball career. According to Bleacher Report, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith remarked publicly that Kevin’s signing with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022 may have tarnished his legacy, as the team’s on-court success has been overshadowed by player Kyrie Irving’s dubious behavior. Smith’s words related to the reality that Irving’s behavior has overshadowed the team’s on-court success.
Wanda replied to Smith on Twitter, asking, “When will you show up better?”Smith responded publicly to the criticism, saying, “I love the NBA moms, and they all know that.” She is one of the most outstanding persons I have met in the NBA. You are welcome to say whatever you want to me, whether in person, on Twitter, or in another setting. Given my true sentiments for you, you should expect nothing less than the highest level of deference and respect from me. As a result, what she said did not bother me at all. Because she is the parent, it is entirely appropriate for her to advocate for her child in this manner.
She is enthusiastic about raising awareness about Graves disease and thyroid eye disease.Wanda struggled to acquire a diagnosis of thyroid eye disease (TED), a related illness, despite having been diagnosed with Graves disease, a thyroid condition, seventeen years prior.
Wanda shared her concerns to Ebony in 2022, saying, “Had I known about the risk of TED sooner, I would have been more carefully monitoring my eyes and seeing a TED Eye Specialist.” As a result, I’ve dedicated my life to preventing others from making the same mistake I did and allowing it to cloud their judgment for as long as it did mine.