Kevin Durant has suited up for practices and games the last few weeks. But that doesn’t mean he has not faced struggles behind the scenes as he comes to terms with the death of childhood friend Clifford Dixon.
Dixon — who played AAU basketball with Durant — was shot and killed outside of an Atlanta-area bar in the early-morning hours of March 21. Dixon had been there to celebrate his 31st birthday.
On Monday, Durant was excused from practice to attend Dixon’s funeral in the Washington, D.C. area, and he brought along teammate Quinn Cook for support.
According to Mark Medina with The Mercury News, Durant and Cook departed the Bay Area on a red-eye flight following the Golden State Warriors’ win over the Charlotte Hornets Sunday night — the same day the worlds of entertainment and basketball were stunned by tragic death of rapper Nipsey Hussle.
Durant’s relationship with Nipsey Hussle isn’t really known, but the All-Star forward did meet the rapper last year at Oracle Arena during filming of an episode of Stephen Curry’s YouTube series 5 Minutes from Home.
Durant considered Dixon to be more like a brother than just a friend or acquaintance, though, so Dixon’s death undoubtedly hit Durant hard. But the reigning NBA champion has found a way to cope with his grief — through basketball.
Durant and Cook returned to the Bay Area Monday night. While many would consider the fast trip, for heartbreaking reasons, to be a burden, Durant was eager to return to the team. He described to Medina how basketball helps him to channel grief and any other challenging emotions life throws his way:
We got something to dive into and people that love you. It makes life a little easier. Death is a part of life. As much as we try to avoid those conversations, it’s going to happen to all of us. You go through something where somebody you love for period of time, time and time again somebody is not here no more. It’s tough to comprehend that. I have good people around and I have something I love to do and something I can dive in. That’s definitely key.
I try to use the game as a vessel and throw every emotion and feel into it. … It’s therapeutic. No matter what you’re going through, I can dive into the game and be there mentally with my teammates.
Although Durant chose not to share personal memories of his lifetime friend, he did express gratitude for the warmth he has received from his teammates, fans and citizens in the Bay Area, stating: “It’s great to feel all the love and support … especially the Warrior community and Bay Area. They’ve been showing me love through social media and seeing me at the games. I really, really appreciate it.”
Tuesday night at Oracle Arena, Durant will have the opportunity to lose himself in the Warriors’ attempt to topple one of its most formidable Western Conference foes, the Denver Nuggets. The Warriors have won the Pacific Division, and the Nuggets are atop the Northwest Division. But in the Western Conference overall, the Warriors (52-24) are just one game ahead of the Nuggets (51-25), with Denver hoping to pull even tonight.
