Kevin Durant Pays It Forward With $3M Gift To UT-Austin

AUSTIN, TX — Basketball great Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors has donated $3 million to the University of Texas at Austin, officials said Thursday.

It's the biggest gift ever given by a former Longhorns basketball player and one of the biggest given by any athlete, school officials noted. The gift that includes $2.5 million for the men's basketball program has prompted university officials to rename the team's playing space to "The Kevin Durant Basketball Facility For Men," according to a UT-Austin press advisory.

The remaining $500,000 of Durant's gift will benefit the university's Center for Sports Leadership and Innovation, according to university officials. CSLi launched three years ago with a mission to cultivate the character development, leadership skills and long-term welfare of athletes and coaches. Daron K. Roberts, a former NFL and college coach, serves as founding director of CSLi, which is the first university-based institute dedicated to developing leadership and character curricula for high school and collegiate athletes.

"My time as a Longhorn helped build the foundation for who I am today as a player and a person," Durant said in a prepared statement. "It's an honor to have such a close and unique relationship with Texas basketball, and I'm grateful to be able to contribute."

UT-Austin President Gregory L. Fenves offered effusive praise for the Golden State Warriors forward: "Kevin Durant is one of the greatest basketball players in the world, and he is also a Longhorn," he said. "As an NBA All-Star, as a gold medalist, as an NBA MVP and now, as an NBA Champion, KD has always had a powerful connection to The University of Texas. I am grateful for his generosity and investment in the future of UT's student-athletes."

Durant, 29, has the luxury of such largesse after signing a two-year deal valued at about $52 million with the Warriors over the summer. The eight-time NBA All-Star averaged 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game during his sole season at UT-Austin's basketball program from 2006-07.

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