- Title: CHINA: BASKETBALL: NBA star Kevin Durant visits Beijing
- Date: 5th June 2010
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (JUNE 4, 2010) (REUTERS) POSTER SHOWING OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER SMALL FORWARD KEVIN DURANT VARIOUS OF DURANT ARRIVING AT BASKETBALL COURT AND GIVING "HIGH FIVES" TO YOUNG CHINESE PLAYERS DURANT SURROUNDED BY YOUNG PLAYERS VARIOUS OF DURANT GIVING DIRECTION TO YOUNG PLAYERS YOUNG PLAYER DUNKING / BASKETBALL RIM SHAKING DURANT HOLDING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER SMALL FORWARD KEVIN DURANT SAYING: "I think, you know, being a score champ is a great honour of course. Everybody watches the NBA. Not so many people know who we were as a team and I think that (being the scoring champ) kind of shines a bright light on our team, makes people realize that Oklahoma City Thunder is a team that should be good down the line and also has some good players." VARIOUS OF DURANT PLAYING BASKETBALL WITH YOUNG PLAYERS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) EIGHTEEN-YEAR OLD CHINESE BASKETBALL PLAYER WANG WEI SAYING: "Durant is my favourite NBA star. It feels very to play cool with him. His skills are amazing and he especially have a nice hand touch when he shoots jump shots." VARIOUS OF DURANT PLAYING BASKETBALL WITH YOUNG PLAYERS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) NIGHTEEN-YEAR OLD CHINESE BASKETBALL PLAYER WANG PENG SAYING: "The NBA way of warming up was very professional. We use to practise very prematurely, exposing us to injures while playing games. But after I learned the NBA-style of warming up, I think it is less likely for me to get injured in the future." VARIOUS OF DURANT PLAYING BASKETBALL WITH YOUNG PLAYERS VARIOUS OF YOUNG PLAYER GRIBBLING YOUNG PLAYER DUNKING GREAT WALL GATE TOWER
- Embargoed: 20th June 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA77J2PYAFNK1G35LLEO5SJBNQY
- Story Text: Basketball's NBA came to China on Friday (June 4) with hundreds of promising young Chinese players and fans treated to a special training clinic in Beijing hosted by Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant.
The event was organised by Nike with Durant in the Chinese capital on a three day visit promoting the launch of new basketball shoes bearing his name.
The clinic was held under the backdrop of China's famous Great Wall with Durant and his team mate James Harden coaching 40 promising high school players in front of an ancient gate tower.
During the one-hour session, Durant took the group through an NBA style warm-up, gave tips on shooting and for a lucky few, indulged in a mini game of basketball.
Twenty-one year Durant finished 2009-2010 season with an average of 30.1 points, leading Lebron James by 0.4, supplanting 22-year-old Max Zaslofsky of the 1947-48 Chicago Stags as the youngest scoring champ in NBA history.
However, Durant deflected the praise onto his team mates when quizzed about the feat by reporters.
"I think, you know, being a score champ is a great honour of course. Everybody watches the NBA," he said.
"Not so many people know who we were as a team and I think that (the scoring milestone) kind of shines a bright light on our team, and makes poeple realize that Oklahoma City Thunder is a team that should be good down the line and also has some good players."
Some of the young players surprised Durant during the session, particularly when one of them dunked the ball into the basket in front of him, which Durant commented reminded of Lebron James.
Eighteen-year-old Wang Wei said it was a huge thrill to practise with an NBA player.
"Durant is my favourite NBA star," he said.
"It feels very to play cool with him. His skills are amazing and he especially have a nice hand touch when he shoots jump shots."
Another promising player added he had learnt valuable skills as he chases the dream of playing professional basketball.
"The NBA warm-up practice is very professional," 19-year-old Wang Peng said.
"We use to practise very prematurely, exposing us to injures while playing games. But after I learned the NBA-style of warming up, I think it is less likely for me to get injured in the future."
Although Durant's first visit to China was predominantly a promotional tour, for many fans it was an opportunity to interact with a basketball hero.
Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder marched into the the Western Conference playoffs as the eighth seed but lost to the LA Lakers in the first round.
The NBA announced on early May that Durant finished second in the race to the NBA's MVP for this season, just behind Lebron James.
The young star player also joined Lakers star Kobe Bryant in 2010 All-NBA First Team, with Dwight Howard, James and Dwyane Wade.
In recent years, an increasing number of NBA players have visited China as the association eyes an expanding sports market to build business relationships. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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