It took just one season for Kevin Durant to permanently capture the hearts of Texas Longhorn fans. He played just one season for the Horns before entering the 2007 NBA Draft but left his mark within the program and has never forgotten his roots in Austin.
When Durant and his current team, the Phoenix Suns, played the San Antonio Spurs in Austin on Thursday, Feb. 20, he returned to his old stomping grounds but in a slightly different setting. Back in 2006, when Durant played for Texas, the Longhorns' home arena was the Frank Erwin Center. Now, the former Texas star had his first chance to play in the Horns' new home, the Moody Center.
Despite the Suns suffering an 11-point loss to the Spurs, Durant had only good things to say about the University of Texas and shared that he felt the love from the Austin crowd.
"I still had a great time, that's not gonna sour the mood of me coming back here and playing in front of this incredible crowd," Durant said. "They were loud and energetic the whole night. I'm just very grateful for all of the love that I've received from this region of the world."
Despite the loss, Kevin Durant said he felt the love playing back in Austin tonight. pic.twitter.com/8ucy4EqF1f
— Travis Recek (@TravisRecek) February 21, 2025
In his one season with the Horns, Durant racked up quite the resume as he led Texas to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.
Kevin Durant college acolades with the Texas Longhorns
- National college player of the year (2007)
- Consensus first-team All-American (2007)
- USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2007)
- Big 12 Player of the Year (2007)
After Durant left the program to head to the NBA, the Longhorns retired his No. 35 jersey (which he now wears for the Suns) within the men's basketball program. However, one of Texas' current stars, women's basketball player Madison Booker rocks the No. 35 in honor of the Longhorn legend.
Kevin Durant college stats (2006-07)
- 25.8 points per game
- 11.1 rebounds per game
- 1.9 blocks per game
- 1.9 steals per game
- 1.3 assists per game
During his one season in Austin, Durant scored a resounding 903 points as he averaged a double-double throughout his freshman season. He contributed 309 rebounds, 67 blocks, 66 steals, and 46 assists to the Horns' overall stat line.