Kevin Durant’s father abandoned the family when he was a baby and his brother Anthony was a toddler, leaving Wanda, who was only 21 at the time, to raise both of them alone.

Wanda Durant, Kevin Durant’s mother, is basketball’s top performer in a vital position and, according to her son, “the real MVP.” Despite the fact that Kevin Durant has won the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award twice (in 2014 and 2017), this is the case.

Kevin and Anthony’s father abandoned the family when they were infants, and their mother Wanda became a single parent at the age of 21.

The odds seemed to be stacked against us. During his acceptance speech for the Most Valuable Player award in 2014, Kevin noted, “By the time you were 21, you were a single parent with two boys.” “We had no right to be here in the first place.” You succeeded in persuading us. You made it possible for us to avoid sleeping in our vehicles and eating out of cans by providing for us. Even if you weren’t hungry, you offered food to the rest of us. You most likely dozed out on an empty stomach. You gave up a lot for both of us. You must have the greatest total value in the league.

Wanda believes that the fact that she achieved her goals via hard work inspired her sons to put up the effort necessary to succeed. “I continued to give them my love, my time, my presence, and being as engaged as I possibly could,” she said in an interview with NBA.com. “As I reflected on my life, I came to the conclusion that my sons were able to realize their ambitions and follow in my footsteps because I never gave up hope and never gave up on them.”

She has been Kevin’s most ardent fan both on and off the court, and she is currently pursuing a career as a philanthropist and motivational speaker with the goal of improving people’s lives in underprivileged communities.

So, just who is this Wanda Durant? Continue reading to learn more about her extraordinary life story, numerous acts of kindness, and the important work she is currently doing.

She regularly gives talks in order to motivate people.According to Wanda’s website, MamaDurant.com, one of the most important principles of her philosophy is the concept that “where there is hope, there is possibility.” On her website, she says, “Her passion is to inspire underserved children, single mothers, and communities to move beyond their immediate circumstances and aim for higher heights in life.”

She has spoken at the White House United State of Women Summit, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference, and the Ford Foundation, among other venues.

Her husband and she are co-administrators of the Durant Family Foundation.The mission of the organization is “to enrich the lives of at-risk youth from low-income backgrounds through educational, athletic, and social programs,” as the name suggests.

The Durants, on the other hand, consider certain of the group’s projects to be especially vital. Because Kevin’s hometown of Bowie, Maryland is in Prince George’s County, the foundation awarded a $500,000 contribution to the local university in 2022 to modernize its basketball facilities.

The place I call “home.” We have close ties to the people of PG County as well as the communities surrounding Bowie State University. Kevin played basketball at Maryland’s first historically black college or university (HBCU), thus everything came together well for this to happen.

Wanda is associated with several groups, including the Single Parents Support Network, Baller Moms, the Boys & Girls Club of America, and the Mothers of Professional Basketball Players, in addition to the philanthropic foundation she and her family founded. She also serves on the board of directors of Tigress Financial Partners, an organization dedicated to increasing women’s financial literacy.

Kevin’s most passionate booster and supporter, both on and off the field.Mama Durant has been outspoken about her love for her child in interviews and on television.

In an interview with Essence in 2022, she stated, “I’m Kevin’s biggest fan.” That settles it; from now on, we’ll just call him Kevin. As a professional athlete, I am aware that there will be admirers and detractors on both sides of the arena. Whatever happens, the fact that I am still his mother will not change. It doesn’t matter what other people think about it. As a person, I find him to be extremely pleasant.

Throughout Kevin’s rehabilitation from his injuries, she has served as a focal point for his cheerleaders and well-wishers.

Durant missed Game 5 of the NBA Finals due to a series of severe injuries sustained during the 2018-19 season. A calf injury and an Achilles tendon rupture were among the illnesses that prompted him to miss the game. Wanda expressed her gratitude to her global following during an appearance with Good Morning America, saying, “I’m just so grateful, and our family is grateful to the fans all over the world who have sent us their prayers, who have contacted me through my social media, and who have sent general responses.” As a result, “we are extremely grateful.”She has received accolades from the film industry.The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story, a biographical film about Wanda’s life, premiered on Lifetime in 2016. The story’s theme revolved around a family’s efforts to inspire and encourage their two sons to flourish despite the tough living conditions they were forced to endure. Pauletta Washington played the lead part in the film produced by Queen Latifah.

She has no qualms about publicly expressing her approbation of her son’s chosen job choice.Throughout his career as a basketball player, Wanda has never failed to defend Kevin when he has been chastised. According to Bleacher Report, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith stated publicly that signing with the Brooklyn Nets in 2022 may have harmed Kevin’s legacy, since the team’s success on the court has been overshadowed by player Kyrie Irving’s questionable behavior. Smith’s remarks alluded to the fact that the team’s performance on the court has been overshadowed by Irving’s behavior.

Wanda responded to Smith on Twitter, saying, “When will you show up better?”Smith stated publicly in response to the criticism, “I love the NBA moms, and they all know that.” She is one of the most extraordinary people I’ve encountered in the National Basketball Association. You are free to say whatever you want to me, whether in person, on Twitter, or in any other context. Given my real feelings for you, you should expect nothing less than my best degree of deference and respect from me. As a result, what she said didn’t bother me in the least. Because she is the parent, it is absolutely legitimate for her to advocate for her child in this manner.

She is passionate about raising awareness about Graves illness and thyroid eye disease.Wanda had a difficult time getting a diagnosis of thyroid eye disease (TED), a related illness, despite having been diagnosed with Graves disease, a thyroid issue, seventeen years before.

Wanda expressed her misgivings to Ebony in the year 2022, saying, “Had I known about the risk of TED sooner, I would have been more carefully monitoring my eyes and seeing a TED Eye Specialist.” As a result, I’ve made it my life’s mission to prevent others from making the same mistake I did and allowing it to cloud their judgment for as long as it clouded mine.