Kevin Durant Named Worlds MVP, but Just Happy to Get the Gold

Filed under: USA Basketball, Thunder, FIBA World Championship

ISTANBUL -- When Team USA began training camp two months ago in Las Vegas, Kevin Durant was confused with Chris Bosh at the airport. Durant had talked about being at a Charlotte shopping mall last season with his Oklahoma City teammates and folks thought they were college players.



It's safe to say Durant left Turkey following the FIBA World Championship with a higher global profile than when he arrived.



That was quite evident as Durant, who could walk around freely early in the tournament, tried to leave the Sinan Erdem Dome on Sunday. There was much commotion as many people came up to pose alongside Durant for a photo, and the gracious forward complied. Eventually, though, a USA Basketball official had to make like a pulling guard to clear a free path for Durant.



That's what happens when you are named Worlds MVP and average 33.0 points in your team's final three games. Durant on Sunday scored 28 to lead the Americans to an 81-64 win over Turkey and its first Worlds gold medal since 1994.



"He elevated,'' Team USA coach Mike Kryzewski said of Durant in the tournament. "He was on a pretty high floor already but he went close to being in the penthouse.''

 

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Full story at http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/09/12/kevin-durant-named-worlds-mvp-but-just-happy-to-get-the-gold/