NEW YORK—NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant will visit India next week, hosting a clinic for 5,000 children, donating two basketball courts to a school and instructing top youth players.
Durant sparked the Golden State Warriors to their second NBA crown in three seasons last month. The 28-year-old star forward won his first NBA crown in his first season after leaving Oklahoma City for the Warriors.
“I’m excited to travel to India to help promote the game of basketball and meet the prospects at the NBA Academy India,” Durant said. “I’ve wanted to visit India for a long time and I can’t wait to experience the country’s unique culture and share my knowledge with the kids there.”
Durant, who also helped the US Olympic team capture gold in 2012 at London and last year in Rio, will travel to New Delhi next Thursday.
He will donate two courts to the Ramjas School as part of his charity foundation’s court renovation program, then visit the NBA Academy India in Noida, becoming the first active NBA player to appear at the school, where he will provide a master class in shooting, passing, dribbling and defensive drills.
Later at the academy, Durant will lead a larger-scale clinic for 5,000 youth, 1,000 in the facility and 4,000 other boys and girls through a satellite link from locations in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
“We’re thrilled to host 2017 Finals MVP Kevin Durant in India,” NBA India managing director Yannick Colaco said. “Having one of the very best players in our league interact with the basketball playing youth of India will serve as great inspiration to the next generation of players here.”
Durant, an eight-time NBA All-Star and the 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player, averaged 25.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.6 blocked shots and 1.1 steals a game last season for the Warriors.
