2014 Regular-Season MVP: From Scoring Champion to Best Individual
In 2014, Kevin Durant reached the peak of his individual honors—winning the NBA regular-season Most Valuable Player award. That season (2013-14), he averaged 32.0 points along with 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists, leading the Thunder to the best record in the Western Conference.
This MVP meant a great deal to Durant. Previously, though a four-time scoring champion, he was constantly compared to LeBron James and labeled 'just a scorer.' In 2014, he answered the doubts with an all-around game: not only leading the league in scoring, but taking on more playmaking and defensive responsibility. Especially during Westbrook's injury absence, Durant carried the Thunder almost single-handedly; that run of high-scoring performances convinced the entire league.
On awards night, Durant choked up several times in his speech, thanking his late father, his family, and his coaches. That scene became an NBA classic—people saw not just a cold-blooded killer, but a sentimental, humble player. The MVP trophy also completed his leap from 'top scorer' to 'best individual in the league.'
Durant never won another regular-season MVP, but this 2014 trophy was enough to prove: when healthy and backed by the right system, he could be the best basketball player on the planet. It was also the most critical piece on his road to two rings and two Finals MVPs.
Related Reading
- 2014 NBA MVP: Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Kevin Durant: Most Valuable and Legacy— One MVP, and a Coordinate of an Era
- Kevin Durant: Hard Work and Role Model— From a Fragile Boy to the "Reaper"
- Kevin Durant: Glory and Idol— The Reaper's Crown, and a Debate for the Ages
- 2017 NBA Finals MVP: Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors)
