Kevin Durant won his first career NBA MVP award, and he celebrated the occasion with a Hall of Fame-worthy acceptance speech.
Rather than make the speech about him, Durant continued to be every bit as selfless as he’s been throughout his career by making the speech about everyone who has helped him.
He went through each of his teammates one-by-one and thanked them individually for what they’ve done for him and shared what they meant to him. He thanked all of his friends personally. He thanked everyone on the assistant staff. He thanked his coaches and front office. And then the tears really came when he thanked his mother, Wanda, for being the true MVP for raising him and his brother despite being a single mom with two children at 21.
If seeing Wanda get emotional didn’t make you cry, you probably don’t have a heart.
The true emotion and the genuine gratefulness Durant had made the speech incredibly special.
There were also two notable aspects of the speech for true basketball fans. KD defended and praised head coach Scott Brooks and running mate Russell Westbrook. That was significant because both figures are frequently criticized. Russ was the last teammate Durant mentioned in his list of thank-yous. Here’s what he said:
And here’s the part where Durant thanked his mother. Try not to cry here:
