Kevin Durant told a little-known story about the time he dropped 66 points in the legendary Rucker Park in Harlem, New York.
This took place on Aug. 1, during the offseason of 2011 — fresh off a 55-27 season for his Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant was contacted by Washington D.C. streetball legend White Chocolate, who asked if Durant could make it all the way to Harlem.
“He texted me and said ‘They bumpin' up the Rucker, Slim. Do you want to play?',” Durant told GQ Magazine. “I was like… uhhh, I'm in Oklahoma at the moment, I probably won't get there in time. You know what? Let's just see if I can make it.”
The lanky scorer hopped on a plane and made it in time without telling anyone about his trip.
“I remember I just put my shorts and jersey on and my shoes, then I look up and it's packed all the way to the gate, playing music, and seeing people in the high-risers across the street turning lights on and opening windows,” said Durant. “It was like something out of a movie.”
Durant warned that while competition is stiff at the mecca of basketball, players don't have the height or talent level of an NBA player, so they'll try to compensate by trash-talking their way into intimidating pros like him.
“I had one that back-rimmed in and then I ran down and then the second one just went straight in, so I'm like ‘I'm in a rhythm now,'” Durant recalled. “And then after that, just shooting from anywhere. I hit four threes in a row.”
“Ten or 15 young kids come and jump on me, like 20 adults. I'm seeing the whole crowd out on the floor.”
“That much love from the crowd that one time was a lot,” he said. “It was like a quick burst of joy like I haven't felt in a basketball court before. It was amazing.”