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Angel Reese’s Strong Kevin Durant Message

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Feb 19, 2025 12:34 PM ET

Kevin Durant’s emotional reflection on his basketball journey has got the NBA world talking. In a promo clip released by Netflix for Court Of Gold, a miniseries documenting the behind the scenes of the men's basketball competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the two-time Finals MVP opened up about his love for basketball and what the game meant to him.

"I come from a neighborhood where people don’t even talk to each other," Durant said in the clip. "It’s like, so much hate in the world too. When people get to start laughing and joking about a game of ball, it’s cool to me. So like, it gets me emotional, dawg."

Kevin Durant tearing up about playing on the Olympic stage is a moment to witness.

Court of Gold premieres in 12 hours. pic.twitter.com/jWSAC9pA5a
— Netflix (@netflix) February 17, 2025

Durant is one of the greatest U.S. Men's Olympic Basketball stars ever. USA Basketball's all-time leading scorer, Durant has put together some incredible runs. Prior to the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Durant led Team USA to a gold medal in Tokyo while a member of the Brooklyn Nets.

In this clip, Durant went on to express his gratitude for basketball, crediting the game for changing his life and lifting his family out of hardship.

"The game saved my life," he said. "It brought me and my family out of a lot of [expletive]. So I am just like grateful for it. It’s crazy to see people travel so long to come to see their favorite players play in the Olympics. They spend their money, they bring their whole family. It’s just dope to me."

The heartfelt moment quickly went viral on social media, drawing reactions from the NBA and WNBA communities—including Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese.

"This hoop mean sum man," Reese wrote on X in response to the video.

This hoop mean sum man… https://t.co/IFaY41ROXY
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) February 19, 2025

Like Durant, Reese comes from a humble background and witnessed her mother work tirelessly to provide for her and her brother (h/t People). Both athletes grew up in the DMV area and experienced the struggles of poverty before they became basketball stars.

Netflix released the six-episode docuseries on Tuesday.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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