USA Basketball Men’s World Championship Team, Kevin Durant Honored By U.S. Olympic Committee

October 11, 2010 • Colorado Springs, Colo.

The 2010 USA Basketball Men's World Championship Team today was announced as the U.S. Olympic Committee's 2010 September Team of the Month, while Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) took home Male Athlete of the Month honors. Additionally, judo athlete Kayla Harrison was named the U.S. Olympic Committee's Female Athlete of the Month.

Each National Governing Body nominated up to but no more than one female, one male and one team per discipline. The winners were voted on from that pool of nominees.

Durant averaged a team-high 22.8 points per game, which good for third-best among all tournament participants, and he was named MVP of the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Istanbul, Turkey. He also grabbed 6.1 rebounds per game and shot 55.6 percent from the field, 45.6 percent from 3-point and 91.2 percent from the foul line.

Rallying around Durant, the 2010 USA Basketball Men's World Championship Team rolled over its opponents and compiled a perfect 9-0 record to win the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Men for the first time since 1994. Relying on its overall depth and aggressive defensive play, the USA Basketball Men's World Championship Team won nine games by an overall average of 24.6 points per contest. The USA recorded wins over Croatia (106-78), Slovenia (99-77), Brazil (70-68), Iran (88-51), Tunisia (95-57), Angola (121-66), Russia (89-79), Lithuania (89-74) and the host nation of Turkey in the gold medal game (81-64).

Fielding a roster that did not include a single player from the USA's 2008 Olympic gold-medal team, the young, U.S. squad ranked first in eight of the 15 World Championship team statistical categories and second in five more. The USA's No. 1 rankings included points per game (92.8), field goal percentage (49.7%), rebounds per game (41.7) and steals per game (10.4).

In addition to Durant, the gold-medal squad included: Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets); Tyson Chandler (Dallas Mavericks); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (Los Angeles Clippers); Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers); Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls): Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder).

The 2010 USA World Championship Team was led by Duke University's Mike Krzyzewski, who was assisted by Syracuse University’s Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan and Toronto Raptors head mentor Jay Triano.

Durant set several USA World Championship records, including competition marks for scoring (205 points), scoring average (22.8 ppg.) and field goals made and attempted (74-133 FGs). He also established U.S. single game records for points scored (38 vs. Lithuania on 9/11/10), field goals made and attempted (14-25 FGs vs. Lithuania on 9/11/10) and 3-point field goals attempted (13 vs. Turkey on 9/12/10).

Durant also lists second all-time in U.S. competition records for most 3-points field goals attempted (57), third for most 3-point field goals made (26), fifth for most free throws made (31), seventh for most rebounds (55) and 10th for most free throws attempted (34).

Complete descriptions of all of the top finishers can be found at www.teamusa.org/