Kevin Durant Shares Advice for Rising Star Athletes

Kevin Durant has built a name for himself outside of his professional basketball career. His investment firm Thirty Five Ventures has accumulated a portfolio of startup investments, brand deals, a media network, and more.

While Durant is still considered to be one of the best players in the NBA at 37 years old, coming off an All-NBA Second Team selection, the 16-time All-Star has several streams to generate income whenever the time comes to retire from the league.

During a Zoom seminar hosted by O.U.R. Mothers, Durant told Houston Rockets OnSI how athletes can build financial opportunities alongside their growing sports careers.

“A lot of this is about meeting people, asking questions, and networking. A lot of us athletes sometimes get a little timid when it comes time to present yourself or ask questions… There are so many people in the basketball ecosystem that are easy to talk to. It’s that simple. I think once I started networking more, things started to grow for me. I started to gain an understanding of what my purpose is and where I wanted to go.”

The Next Generation

Based on his success both on and off the court, Durant can be viewed as a role model for younger stars in the league. Houston Rockets teammates Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson have both begun to elevate their own profiles.

Thompson averaged 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals over 79 games last season, finishing in the top 10 in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Earlier this month, he agreed to a five-year, $208 million rookie contract extension with the franchise.

Sengun averaged 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists over 72 games. The two-time All-Star finished with the second-most assists per game among centers. He is in the midst of a five-year, $185 million rookie contract extension.

With Sengun and Thompson under the age of 25, it’s anticipated that the rising stars have not yet reached the peak years of their respective careers. This suggests that there is ample time for them to continue to build a strong resume and cultivate brand awareness.

One way that this can be achieved is by leading the Rockets to an NBA championship, capturing the full attention of the league. Coming off a 50+ win season, it is expected that Houston will remain a serious title contender behind the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

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