Kevin Durant has a lot of love for Austin, TX.
The NBA superstar previously played one year at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) in 2006. It was one of the best seasons of the program’s history, according to KXAN Austin. Durant was named Collegiate National Player of the Year, ranking fourth nationally in scoring and rebounding, and led the team to the second round of the NCAA tournament, per the Texas Longhorns.
He went pro in 2007 and was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics. Throughout Durant’s climb in the league and in business, he has continued to pour into Austin. He donated $3 million to UT Austin in 2018, which went to Texas Basketball and the Center for Sports Leadership and Innovation, and paved the way for the men’s basketball facilities to be renamed the Kevin Durant Basketball Facility for Men. The main entrance to Denton A. Cooley Pavilion was also named The Kevin Durant Texas Basketball Center.
Speaking of the university he said, “This was kind of the foundation, once you leave home and you kind of jump into the real world. This was my entry point. I learned a lot from people and I grew as a human being, which helped me grow on the basketball court. I lean on my former teammates and my Texas family when I go through a lot of stuff, so this was a vital time in my life. I hold on to it dearly.”
Austin Sports Club
Currently playing for the Houston Rockets, Durant’s next power move in Austin will take root in his first restaurant venture. The Austin Sports Club will be opening in downtown Austin in partnership including Durant, Rich Kleiman’s Boardroom Hospitality, Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, and Lobos Hospitality.
The restaurant is expected to open in Spring 2026.
