Warriors Star Kevin Durant Surprises Teen Athletes On Alaska Airlines Flight
OAKLAND (KPIX 5) -- Dozens of young athletes on their way to a basketball tournament got the surprise of a lifetime when Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant rolled up on a show-stopping plane in Oakland.
Durant showed up to an Alaska Airlines and Nike promotional event at Oakland International Airport in a Boeing 737 with his picture on it. Even he couldn't believe the sight of his face on a commercial airliner.
"All I could think about was where I grew up, how I grew up, and where I come from. Nobody knew who I was. Nobody. None of my friends would ever think this would happen to me. So, it's pretty dope to see," said Durant.
80 talented young basketball stars from all over the west coast thought they were flying on their own to Las Vegas to compete in the Bigfoot Hoops Classic. They had no idea that Kevin Durant was coming along, too.
Inspiring and impressing teenagers is difficult, as many parents and teachers will tell you, but Durant managed to do both.
Sue Phillips, the head coach at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, was just as impressed with how he interacted with the teens.
"He's amazing," said Phillips. "How great was he with the kids? Just gracious. The girls were so appreciative, and so were the guys. What an amazing experience."
Durant said it's special to meet these young players at such an important transition point in their lives. It's where they'll soon decide if they've got what it takes to make basketball into a career.
"You can BS yourself all you want. But when you look in the mirror, you gotta really be down for this, because it's a rough road. It's a rough journey. So much stuff goes into it," said Durant.
Phillips was asked about how meeting a superstar like Durant can help in the development of young players.
"It shows them the fruits of their labors, and these kinds of things and opportunities that can come your way. So it's just kind of an affirmation, and it's an incredible reward," answered Phillips.