Kevin Durant is as pure a hooper as any in the basketball world. While he may be one of the NBA’s biggest superstars and a surefire Hall of Famer once he hangs his sneakers up for good, the Phoenix Suns forward couldn’t care less about narratives, accolades, or any of the other stuff that comes with being an elite player. For him, it’s always been about the love of the game and proving himself on the court.
This was never more evident than during his surprise appearance at the 2011 Entertainers Basketball Classic. The NBA lockout was in full effect, and KD, known for playing pickup games at local parks and gyms during the offseason, decided to take his talents to the famed streetball tournament held at the world-famous Rucker Park in Harlem.
There, he put up a scintillating display of basketball wizardry, scoring 66 points for his team, DC Power, to lead them past the Sean Bell All-Stars. Over a decade after that unforgettable performance, Durant reflected on his time at Rucker Park and how it gave him a moment he’ll forever cherish.
How a random night became legendary
On the evening of August 1, 2011, KD walked to Rucker Park all by himself—no entourage, no security, just him. The funny thing was he was also two hours ahead of schedule, so he had to wait a couple of hours before the tip-off at 8 p.m. To pass the time, Durant wolfed down a pregame meal consisting of fried chicken, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese he had someone buy at a nearby soul food place.
KD said that at that time, he was only looking forward to playing and then vibing after as any 22-year-old multi-millionaire would in New York City.
“That night was random as hell, bro, like, right, so random. Like, my man just called me the day before, like, ‘Yo, we just hooping, a few of us hooping at Rucker.’ I didn’t know how big the game was going to be. I didn’t know who was going to be there. I was just like, ‘I’m stuck in OKC, it’s a lockout, I’m bored. I’ll go to New York for the weekend. Vibe out,'” KD said on Boardroom.
However, that night became anything but average, with KD scoring 28 of his 66 points in the fourth quarter. He also went 9-of-11 from beyond the arc and capped off his superb outing by making four straight three-pointers, each more audacious than the last.
After his last triple dropped through the net, the raucous crowd ran onto the court, celebrating with KD as if he had just won the championship.
“That was a memorable night. That’s some sh** like when I hit that last three, and they all ran onto the court; I just had no clue what to do. I was 22. I was just gazing into the sky like, ‘Damn, this is crazy. This is really it. This is what I wanted from basketball,’ was just that moment,” KD shared.
The greatest shooting display at Rucker Park
Ron Naclerio is the all-time winningest basketball coach in the history of the New York City Public Schools Athletic League. He’s seen his fair share of basketball talent come through his program at Cardozo High School in Queens, New York. But even he was blown away by Kevin’s performance that night.
“That was the greatest shooting display I’ve ever seen at The Rucker,” Naclerio said. “He was unguardable that night.”
Ron added that KD basically no longer saw his defenders, meaning it didn’t matter who was in front of him; he was going to score one way or another.
“Big, small, tall, short, double-teams, triple-teams — it didn’t matter who they put on him, it was going in. And he got his buckets within the flow of the game. It wasn’t like he was taking 1,000 shots. He was very efficient,” he remarked.
Before anyone thinks this was a run-of-the-mill game where defenders stepped aside to let KD score, think again. Those who dare play at Rucker Park know it’s one of the world’s most competitive and intense streetball environments. Nobody got a free pass; the likes of Kobe Bryant, Julius Erving, and Stephon Marbury all had to earn their points at Rucker. Since it was KD’s first time to play there, Naclerio gave him a heads-up before tip-off.
“‘Listen, this ain’t no walk in the park, some 50 and over league where you can just go through the motions and chill. They’re gonna go at you,'” Naclerio said.
A performance that’s still talked about
It has been almost 13 years since KD captivated Rucker Park with that outstanding performance. Even now, it remains a moment that continues to be a topic of conversation, something the legendary forward didn’t expect would happen.
“It’s crazy because going up there, I really just wanted to play ball. I wasn’t really expecting to do sh** like that. Obviously, when I scored 60, I thought it was just cool for the night and like, moth******s going to get over it. I didn’t think it was going to be years, decades later, really. Yeah, I didn’t think it was going to be this moment that people really took to the way they’re doing it now,” KD said.
“So, like, I’ve hooped in plenty of parks before, like I’ve had 60 in other parks before, but when you step into that Rucker in New York, though, that’s just a different environment. People hanging out their windows, on the fence. So, I had no clue it was going to turn into what it turned into,” the one-time MVP added.
KD’s incredible performance at Rucker Park will forever live on in the hearts of basketball fans. It was an unforgettable moment made special because he performed in front of the masses at the legendary park in New York City. KD knew that the crowd watching him was not just any ordinary crowd, and he gave them a show they’ll remember for all time.
