Durant, Thompson to represent Men's Basketball in the NBA Finals

AUSTIN, Texas — Former University of Texas stars Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors) and Tristan Thompson (Cleveland Cavaliers) will play in the 2017 NBA Finals, scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 1 in Oakland, Calif. Texas is the only school in the country that can claim more than one starter in the upcoming NBA Finals.

This marks the seventh consecutive year and ninth time in the last 11 seasons that a former UT player has participated in the NBA Finals. It also marks the second time in program history that multiple Longhorns have appeared in the same NBA Finals, as Durant and Royal Ivey (Oklahoma City) faced off against Dexter Pittman (Miami Heat) in 2012.

Durant will make his second appearance in the NBA Finals and first as a member of the Warriors. Thompson will make his third straight appearance with the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

A total of eight former University of Texas players have been on a roster of a participating team in the NBA Finals. Joining Durant and Thompson are Slater Martin (seven appearances), Daniel Gibson, Chris Mihm, Dexter Pittman (two appearances), Royal Ivey and Cory Joseph (two appearances).

Martin, Pittman, Joseph and Thompson are the four former Longhorns to be a part of an NBA Championship team. Martin won five titles during his Hall of Fame career – four championships with the Minneapolis Lakers (1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954) and one with the St. Louis Hawks (1958). Pittman was inactive but with the Miami Heat's 2012 NBA Championship team, while Joseph played on the San Antonio Spurs' 2015 NBA Championship team. Thompson claimed his first NBA Championship ring last year (2016) with the Cavaliers.

Durant and the Warriors, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, swept the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals to advance to the NBA Finals. Durant has played and started in 10 of a possible 12 games this postseason and is averaging 25.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 33.4 minutes per game in the NBA Playoffs. He has converted 55.6 percent from the floor, including 41.7 percent from three-point range, and 87.1 percent from the free throw line in the postseason entering The Finals.

Thompson and the Cavaliers, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, topped the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals to advance to the NBA Finals. Thompson has played and started in all 13 games this postseason and is averaging 9.5 points and 9.7 rebounds in 33.3 minutes per game in the NBA Playoffs. He has converted 61.2 percent from the floor in the postseason entering The Finals.

Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals will air on ABC at 8 p.m. Central on Thursday, June 1.

Former Texas Players on Rosters of Teams in the NBA Finals

Year	Player	Team	Result
1950	Slater Martin	Minneapolis Lakers	Won
1952	Slater Martin	Minneapolis Lakers	Won
1953	Slater Martin	Minneapolis Lakers	Won
1954	Slater Martin	Minneapolis Lakers	Won
1957	Slater Martin	St. Louis Hawks	Lost
1958	Slater Martin	St. Louis Hawks	Won
1960	Slater Martin	St. Louis Hawks	Lost
2007	Daniel Gibson	Cleveland Cavaliers	Lost
2008	Chris Mihm	Los Angeles Lakers	Lost
2011	Dexter Pittman	Miami Heat	Lost
2012	Kevin Durant	Oklahoma City Thunder	Lost
2012	Royal Ivey	Oklahoma City Thunder	Lost
2012	Dexter Pittman	Miami Heat	Won
2013	Cory Joseph	San Antonio Spurs	Lost
2014	Cory Joseph	San Antonio Spurs	Won
2015	Tristan Thompson	Cleveland Cavaliers	Lost
2016	Tristan Thompson	Cleveland Cavaliers	Won
2017	Kevin Durant	Golden State Warriors	-
2017	Tristan Thompson	Cleveland Cavaliers	-

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics

Durant, Thompson to represent Men's Basketball in the NBA Finals