Wanda Durant -The Real MVP: The Unwavering Power of a Mother's Love Behind Kevin Durant

Written By: Jackie Rae

In the 2013-14 season, Kevin Durant was crowned the  NBA's Most Valuable Player.  During his acceptance speech, we realized two key points. One is that he was very well grounded, saying, "Basketball is just a platform to let me inspire people, and I realize that."

His second and most influential statement has been a fixture throughout KD's career. With genuine admiration and love, Durant's final words were for his mother, Wanda Durant. "You had my brother when you were 18 years old — three years later, I came out," he said.

"The odds were stacked against us; single parent with two boys by the time you were 21 years old. Everybody told us we weren't supposed to be here," he added. He closed out his love-filled tribute, saying, "You made us believe, you kept us off the street, you put clothes on our backs, food on the table. You went to sleep hungry. You sacrificed for us. YOU'RE THE REAL MVP."

I remember watching his speech with tears in my eyes. I watched with pride as Kevin Durant's words moved the crowd to give his mother a standing ovation. But, I was also troubled.  In the midst of the love, devotion, and admiration was a story that was far too common for successful Black Athletes. How often have we heard this story about Black men who excel in the NBA or NFL?  It happens so much that it made me wonder, is this truly the plight of the majority of young Black people in the United States?

It depends on how you read the numbers.  According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Preventing, in the 1980s, 57.8% of Black children were living in single-parent households.  Given that Durant was born in 1988, his situation indeed seems typical.  But, according to the Legal Information Institute, a single parent has one or more dependent children but is neither married nor in a recognized partnership. 

The parents who are successfully co-parenting are likely the reason why the term is slowly changing to solo-parent, meaning a parent who has no support from the biological mother or father. The term is more fitting, especially when you look back on the life that Durant describes. 

When KD was an infant and his brother Anthony was a toddler, his father, Wayne Pratt, deserted the family. He didn't come by for weekend visits, offer fatherly advice, or help with the bills. He was just gone. In the midst of what was undoubtedly a difficult situation, Wanda looked back on her own childhood to set a life plan in motion for her two young boys. In 2018, Wanda told Teen Magazine, "One of the things I realized was that my mom never followed her dreams, and therefore, she never taught me how to follow my dreams," she said.

So, with deliberate intent, she paid close attention to her children so she could better guide their future. "I decided for my children that I was going to teach them and decide what I wanted for them based on their characteristics and personality, whatever they were proficient in," she recalls.

Any sibling will tell you that once a child starts to excel, it's easy for the other children to feel isolated and alone and wish for the same love and attention that a star athlete would receive.  As KD continued to command basketball attention, Wand never missed an opportunity to let Anthony shine as well. 

"The community didn't always recognize him other than being Kevin's brother. But I recognized his talents," she said.  As his proud mother continued encouraging him, Tony enrolled in military school at just 15 years old. He graduated with the third-highest rank in military command and ranked in the top 10 of his class. Today, he is a successful entrepreneur and businessman, having achieved significant success in his endeavors. "I am really proud of both of them." They are very close and work together now," she reflects.  

Throughout his career, many have questioned KD's ability to lead a locker room. From his burner accounts to crying in his mother's arms after the 2012 finals elimination, some have suggested that KD's relationship with his mother has made him soft. I admit I was one of the people who threw shade at KD for being soft. In my defense, that was after the 2012 loss to LeBron James and the Miami Heat.  I am team King James all day,  so that was sheer pettiness. 

In truth, KD's emotional side makes him special. Understanding the struggles and sacrifices his mother endured has kept him grounded. Learning that it is important to give others around you the opportunity to shine, as his mother taught him to do with his brother Anthony, is why fans and teammates alike gravitate to Kevin Durant. 

Sure, he might not have that "Dog" in him that most of us want to see from a leader on the floor. But it would be impossible for KD to see his mother's journey without understanding that people have emotional, mental, and spiritual needs that go far beyond basketball. 

He learned that lesson from his strong and powerful mother, Wanda Durant.