Kevin Durant’s Gatorade Remix Commercial Features Carlos Delfino
A YouTube user has done an incredible job in taking a Kevin Durant Gatorade commercial and remixing it to feature Carlos Delfino putting KD on a poster as he did in Game 4.
Thunder Players Honor Russell Westbrook With Their Shirts
Project Runway
Russell Westbrook is known for his outrageous pre- and post-game fashion choices. In an apparent show of solidarity with their injured teammate, Oklahoma City Thunder players Kevin Durant and Hasheem Thabeet have chosen some memorable shirts to wear against the Houston Rockets.
NBA 2K13 Cover Features Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, & Blake Griffin
Big 3
NBA 2K 13 pulled out all the stops and landed Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant, Chicago Bulls Derrick Rose, and Los Angeles Clippers Blake Griffin for this year’s cover.
“Being crowned as one of the NBA 2K13 cover athletes is a great way to cap off what has been an amazing season,” Durant said. “It’s humbling to grace the cover after the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.”
“There’s so much young talent around the NBA, so it’s very exciting to be chosen for NBA 2K’s ‘New Dynasty’ alongside Kevin and Derrick,” said Griffin.
“The NBA 2K series has always been my first choice when I want to get a game in.” “It’s a dream come true to be one of the cover athletes for NBA 2K13,” Rose added. “I’ve worked closely with 2K Sports since NBA 2K10, and I’m honored to follow in the footsteps of Michael Jordan as the latest Chicago Bull to be featured on the cover.”
Kevin Durant Cries To Mom
LeBron James picked up his first NBA championship with a game 5 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder which left Kevin Durant with a dagger in his heart.
He hugged James to congratulate him, and then had a private-turned-public moment when he went into the tunnel and eventually made way to embrace his mother, Wanda Pratt, and father, Wayne and busted into tears.
Stephen Jackson Is Kevin Durant’s Biggest Fan
Blue Crab?
Maybe the Oklahoma City Thunder need to open up a seat next to Kevin Durant’s mom, because her son has a new self-proclaimed “Biggest fan.”
After the San Antonio Spurs were eliminated in the Western Conference Finals by the Thunder, Stephen Jackson decided to announced his love for Durant.
The 12-year NBA vet wrote “World’s Biggest Kevin Durant Fan” in black sharpie on a bib he was wearing and then posted the picture on Instagram.
Missile Tracking Technology Used In New NBA Stats
Red Alert
Technology originally used to track missiles is now recording NBA players every move 25 times per second. Teams are already paying for the next level of advanced statistics and the early results have wowed stat heads.
As fastcodesign.com reports in saying 10 NBA teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, are using a system in which tiny webcams hanging at the top of NBA arenas are being used to create stats like a player’s shooting percentage after he’s, say, dribbled twice. Or the technology created by the Israeli firm SportVU can create stats that help you figure how many assists a player deserves to be credited with regardless of whether teammates make their shots after assist-like passes.
A perfect example of this principle is in how tracking Kevin Durant’s shooting average, but his shooting average after dribbling one vs. two times, or his shooting average with a defender three feet away vs. five feet away. SportVU can actually consider both factors at once, plus take into account who passed him the ball, how many minutes he’d been on the court, and how many miles he’d run that game already.
Kevin Durant Sued Over Nickname
Needs A New Nickname Anyway
It hasn’t exactly been a good week for Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder who are one game from losing the NBA Finals.Now Durant has been hit with the news that he’s being sued for using and profiting off the nickname “Durantula” originally belonging to a guitarist.
Durant was sued Wednesday in Federal Court by Mark Durante, a guitarist who, according to the lawsuit was a big deal in the 80s having played with Public Enemy, The Aliens, The Next Big Thing, and The Revolting Cocks.
TMZ obtained a copy of the lawsuit, in which Durante says he adopted the name “Durantula” for his “on-stage and performance persona” and has used it to market “music, recordings, apparel, t-shirts, guitars, and related merchandise.”
Meanwhile, sports fans have adopted the handle for the Oklahoma City Thunder star and current NBA scoring champ.
Durante claims he sent Durant’s people a couple letters “demanding they stop using the nickname.”
In the suit though, Durante claims Nike has used the moniker to launch a shoe campaign and he claims KD himself signed “Durantula” on basketballs that are for sale through his website.
The guitarist claims he registered the “Durantula” trademark. He’s suing for damages and an injunction stopping KD from using the name.
Dirk Nowitzki Says Kevin Durant Way Ahead Of His Curve
- I Like That There Are Sponsors For This
After leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a Game 1 win over the Miami Heat Kevin Durant reminded some of Dirk Nowtizki. They’re both sharp-shooting forwards in the 7-foot territory, and Nowitzki was dominant in the Dallas Mavericks’ six-game win against the Heat in last year’s NBA Finals.
Nowitzki, however, scoffs at the comparison.
“KD is way ahead of my curve,” Nowitzki said.
“He’s arguably the best player in the league right now,” added Nowitzki, who said he’s been watching the NBA playoffs intently since Dallas was swept by Oklahoma City in the first round. “I see a guy that really has no holes.”
Dirk said more specifically of the differences in his and Durant’s games, “He’s way more of a 3-man than I ever was. He handles the ball way better on the break than I ever did. He’s got deeper range. And he’s doing all this at 23. He’s won the scoring title three times in a row, so that he means he won the first one at 21. I barely got through my rookie year. When I was 21, Gary Trent was still killing me in practice. …
“For me, at the beginning of my career, I was basically a third or fourth option. We had (Michael Finley). We had Steve (Nash). We had Nick Van Exel that one year (in 2003). Then we got rid of everybody and it was kind of my team, so I had to grow into the (closer) role. I never had to take big shots when I was 20 or 23. Once everybody left, it took me awhile to get used to being in that position. But now I like being in that position. I like to be in that situation. Everybody is looking at you to get it done at the end. And it’s a great feeling when you do.”
Gregg Popovich’s I Want Some Nasty Speech Sparks City
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich’s sparked his team and town imploring them to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in game one. Entering the final 12 minutes trailing by nine, the Spurs responded and went on an 11-3 run. They drew four charging calls and outscored OKC by 12 to win Game 1, 101-98. Manu Ginobili scored 11 of the team’s 37 points in the fourth quarter. Stephen Jackson blanketed Kevin Durant and held him to a mere six points.
Kate Upton Hangs With Oklahoma City Thunder
Kate Upton has been everywhere lately, not that many men are complaining. The cover model of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue appears in a commercial for Skullcandy along with Oklahoma City Thunder stars Kevin Durant and James Harden. The 19-year-old model accompanies the pair as they go about their routine for ‘Take a Supermodel to Work Day.’
Jerry Colangelo Says Team USA Reconsidering Olympic Approach
USA! USA! USA!
Derrick Rose’s torn ACL has caused USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo to rethink his stance of not expanding the list of candidates for the U.S. squad that will compete at the London Olympics.
Colangelo said last week that despite injuries to Dwight Howard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Chauncey Billups as well as Lamar Odom being eliminated from consideration the 12-man Team USA roster would be selected from the 16 candidates remaining from the original list of 20. Rose’s season-ending injury brings the number of finalists down to 15.
“What I said (previously) was that we didn’t plan to do any additions, but we had to continue to monitor the injury situation,” Colangelo. “Obviously (Rose) is a big loss. (Point guard) seems to be, at this point, still a pretty strong position. But at this stage, quite honestly, I think all bets are off.”
Three point guards remain on the current list: Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook. The team is also thin at center—Tyson Chandler is the only true ‘five’ left among the candidates.
Colangelo said that the original plan to announce the final roster on June 1 has been changed. June 18 is the deadline for teams to set rosters with the Olympic Committee, and Colangelo said USA Basketball will wait as late as possible before making its decisions.
“I think now we’re going to wait until the very last moment to pick the team, because it seems ridiculous with a lot of playoff games to play that we would select a team,” Colangelo said. “We might as well keep the options open as long as we can, and continue to monitor the situation.”
Colengelo will meet with Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff Monday and Tuesday in Las Vegas.
The current Team USA finalists are Carmelo Anthony New York Knicks, Chris Bosh Miami Heat, Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers, Chandler New York Knicks, Kevin Durant Oklahoma City Thunder, Rudy Gay Memphis Grizzlies, Eric Gordon New Orleans Hornets, Blake Griffin Los Angeles Clippers, Andre Iguodala Philadelphia 76ers, LeBron James Miami Heat, Kevin Love Minnesota Timberwolves, Paul Los Angeles Clippers, Dwyane Wade Miami Heat, Westbrook Oklahoma City Thunder and Williams New Jersey Nets.
Rap Song Gets Oklahoma City Thunder Employee Fired
This rap parody of the Wu-Tang Clans “M-E-T-H-O-D Man” got Lunchmeat, as he was known in the video fired from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even after he was given the pink slip the Thunder management asked him to take down the video from YouTube.
Lunchmeat knew sorta what he was getting into when he posted the video but was it offensive? Was it worth firing?
Does @KDTrey5 have any pull to get Lunchmeat his job back?
Kevin Durant’s New Rap Song
Had no idea Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant was a rapper but these days who isn’t one should be the biggest surprise. Here is his song ”Worried About Tomorrow” featuring Privaledge
Kevin Durant Not Impressed By Blake Griffin’s Dunk
Sour Grapes
Los Angeles Clippers Blake Griffin’s dunk against the Oklahoma City Thunder this week has been getting accolades that fall into the best-ever category. But one significant NBA player who wasn’t impressed. That would be Kevin Durant, who could only watch while Griffin threw down the monster dunk against his team.
“I have no appreciation for it at all. It was a layup, I think. He threw the ball in and got fouled and made his free throw, so it was three points at the end of the day, no matter how it happened, how it went in the basket. I really wasn’t impressed. He finished it. So what? We’ve moved on.”
As for all the attention that has been given to Griffin’s dunk, Durant said:
“I wasn’t surprised because Blake is a poster child. He dunks the ball a lot and makes spectacular plays. If it wasn’t against us, maybe I’d say it was a good play, but it was against us, so it was a bad play. I have nothing against Blake, don’t get me wrong. But it was against us, so I’ve got to stick up for my teammate.”
“I knew that wasn’t going to get attention because we never get attention like that . . . We’re not an L.A. team or a Chicago team or a Miami team. All our plays get thrown under the radar.”
Kevin Durant’s Buzzer Beater
Kevin Durant scored 30 points and hit a 3-pointer at the final buzzer to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 104-102 win against Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference finals.
Kevin Durant & Russell Westbrook Have Altercation
Can't We Just Get Along
Oklahoma City Thunder All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant got into a second-quarter altercation during a 98-95 win over Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. Westbrook finished with four points on 0-for-13 shooting.
Westbrook’s frustration manifested with 3 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter after he drove the lane and dished to Thabo Sefolosha in the corner. Sefolosha passed up an open 3-pointer and Westbrook yelled at Sefolosha to “shoot the f*cking ball.”
Sefolosha and other teammates, including Durant and center Kendrick Perkins, attempted to calm Westbrook down during an ensuing trip to the free throw line, but it didn’t work.
Durant appeared to again try to settle Westbrook during a timeout, but Westbrook didn’t take it well and they began shouting at each other. They had to be separated.
Westbrook did not speak to reporters after the game.
NBA Players Withdraw California Lawsuit
Grandstanding
NBA players have withdrawn one of the two antitrust lawsuits they filed last week against the league, with the NBA office charging that the group, led by lawyer David Boies, was, “forum shopping,” or looking for a jurisdiction that had a history of ruling favorably on labor issues.
The suit included Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant as plaintiffs, and will be consolidated with the other suit, filed in Minnesota, Boies said. Additional plaintiffs Steve Nash, Baron Davis, Rajon Rondo, Sebastian Telfair and Anthony Randolph have been added to the suit. The judge in the case ruled that the case would not be heard until next March, which would be well after the entire NBA season could be canceled. “This should permit us to expedite the case,” Boies told reporters.
The league saw it differently. “We assume that Mr. Boies was not happy with either the reassignment of the case from Oakland to San Francisco or the fact that the new judge scheduled the first conference for March 2012,” said Rick Buchanan, NBA general counsel, in a statement released by the league. “This is consistent with Mr. Boies’ inappropriate shopping for a forum that he can only hope will be friendlier to his baseless legal claims.”
The goal of the lawsuits is to force the NBA owners to end the lockout, which has been ongoing since July 1 or at least to get a judge to order the two sides back to the negotiating table. The sides last discussed a new collective bargaining agreement nearly two weeks ago and at present, there are no further plans to meet.
Kevin Durant dominates intramural football game
Bored from the lack of basketball, NBA star Kevin Durant joined an intramural flag football game at Oklahoma State, where he led his team to a win and drew a crowd of about 500.
Late Monday afternoon, Durant tweeted to his million-plus followers, “This lockout is really boring..anybody playing flag football in Okc..I need to run around or something!”
One of those followers, George Overbey, responded, “Got a game tonight in Stillwater!! I need a deep threat!!”
Durant took Overbey up on his offer, picked up him and a buddy at their house, and went on to throw for four touchdowns and intercept three passes for Sigma Nu, who Overbey made clear were the defending champs.
NBA World All-Star Classic Set
They Playing Basketball
ESPN is reporting that the NBA World All-Star Classic, staring eighteen top-tier players, including Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade and Kevin Durant, will begin a world tour Sunday in San Juan, Puerto Rico. News of the tour broke last week, but contractual and logistical issues had to be worked out, and a formal announcement is expected imminently.
The tour, branded the World All-Star Classic, will also hit O2 Arena in London on Nov. 1 and 3, the Cotai Arena at the Venetian Hotel in Macau on Nov. 6, and Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 8 and 9. Organizers are considering adding a fifth city and are doing some last-minute tinkering with the other stops and dates.
The official announcement is expected today and other stars could include, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Amar’e Stoudemire, Blake Griffin, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Carlos Boozer, Tyson Chandler, Steve Nash, Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo and Chris Kaman.
Players will be paid from six figures to $1 million, and some proceeds will go to charity, according to reports. Atlanta businessman Calvin Darden is the tour’s main organizer.
Kevin Durant To Star In Basketball Themed Movie
The Natural
Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant will play himself in a move called Switch, slated for a 2012 release according to a report. According to a casting site Durant switching his basketball skills with those of a fan of his, who uses his new-found hoops prowess to become the star of his high school team. This has a reverse effect on Durant and the Thunder as he is left with the high schooler’s game.
The IMDb page for Switch does not have additional casting information beyond Durant. The film will be directed by John Whitesell, whose credits include two titles in the Big Momma franchise, as well television shows such as Law & Order, Roseanne and Coach.
The budget for the Warner Bros. film is $7 million, according to IMDb and filming is scheduled to begin soon as the movie will be shot primarily in Baton Rouge because of more favorable financing and tax conditions. Durant recently appeared as himself in a long-form commercial for the Nike MAG commonly refereed to as the Back to the Future II shoe.
Kevin Durant In Nike Back To The Future Commercial
Nike has released the limited edition shoeNike MAG or known to the non-sneaker head as Back To The Future II shoes for a good cause with all the proceeds to be donated to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
To get bidding up on the limited edition shoes (only 1,500 pairs will be sold) Kevin Durant, Bill Hader and Christopher Lloyd made a two-minute commercial. The first pair has already sold for $37,500 last night.
Kevin Durant’s New Maryland Tattoo
That's Some Hours
Just a month ago many in the sports world was unaware that Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant had any tattoo’s, until this picture surfaced, now here is the NBA star showing off his newest ink. Think he loves home.
Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown: Michael Beasley
Michael Beasley
Every Thursday Sports Grind Entertainment will present you with the Mama Margie’s Major Meltdown. The recipient of this honor goes to Minnesota Timberwolves player Michael Beasley for shoving a fan in the face with an open hand at a New York City streetball event. An irate Beasley was restrained by tournament security as the game at the Dyckman Park Tournament was delayed for approximately 10 minutes. With Beasley facing off against Kevin Durant’s team, things got heated early in the second half when Beasley started jawing with a group of heckling fans, at one point yelling “I get paid for this!” toward the group. He then approached one fan and shoved him in the face. Shortly after Beasley approached the fan to shake his hand but the interaction escalated and Beasley had to be restrained by security.
Michael Beasley Fights With Fan
Minnesota Timberwolves Michael Beasley’s career hasn’t exactly gone the way a number 2 overall draft picks should go. Last night Beasley got into an altercation with a fan during a park game at Dyckman Park in New York. Beasley was playing for Kevin Durant’s Team Nike but it was and will be his altercation that gets the headlines.
