The Reaper's Jumper: From Thunder to Two Titles and Two FMVPs

Kevin Durant, nicknamed the 'Reaper' (Slim Reaper / KD), was one of the most dominant scorers of the 2010s. In the 2007 NBA Draft he was selected No. 2 overall by the Seattle SuperSonics—that year the Sonics were relocating to Oklahoma City, so Durant's rookie season opened in a Thunder jersey.

Durant's honors are dazzling: 4 scoring titles (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014), 1 regular-season MVP (2014), 2 Finals MVPs (2017, 2018), 2 Olympic golds (2012, 2016), 15-plus All-Star nods. In summer 2016 he left the nine-year Thunder for the just-record 73-win Golden State Warriors; in the 2017 and 2018 seasons the Warriors won back-to-back, Durant earning Finals MVP twice, proving himself on the Finals stage with unsolvable mid-range and clutch shots.

The 'Reaper's jumper' is Durant's deadliest weapon: at 2.11m with guard-like touch and long arms, defenders cannot block him no matter how they contest. His high release and quick trigger dare to take over in the clutch. From the lonely banner-carrying kid in OKC to the two-title two-FMVP core in Golden State, Durant leapt from 'top scorer' to 'title killer.'

Of course, the 2016 decision came with huge controversy—leaving the mother team for the opponent earned him infamy for a time. But sports only record results: two rings and two FMVP trophies are the Reaper's hardest evidence left to history.

Related Reading

• 2017 NBA Finals MVP: Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors)
• 2018 NBA Finals MVP: Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors)
• The Birth of a Juggernaut: A Deep Dive Into the 2017 Championship
• Three in Four: A Deep Dive Into the 2018 Championship
• Kevin Durant: Most Valuable and Legacy— One MVP, and a Coordinate of an Era