The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Durant leads Golden State Warriors to second-straight NBA Championship
06.08.2018 | Men's Basketball
Former Longhorn earns second-consecutive Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Former University of Texas star and 2007 consensus National Player of the Year Kevin Durant became the second UT player in program history to win multiple NBA Championships, as the Golden State Warriors posted a 108-85 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the 2018 NBA Finals on Friday evening.
Durant, who earned the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award for the second straight year, led the Warriors to the NBA title for the second straight season. He becomes the first player since LeBron James (Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013) to win back-to-back Finals MVP awards.
This marks the third consecutive year that a former Longhorn has claimed a NBA Championship. Prior to Durant's back-to-back titles with the Warriors, Tristan Thompson helped the Cleveland Cavaliers win the championship in 2016.
During Golden State's four-game sweep in the NBA Finals, Durant averaged 28.8 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game and converted 52.6-percent from the field, including 40.9-percent from three-point range. In Friday night's clinching victory, Durant registered his first NBA Finals triple-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
Durant joined Slater Martin as the second former Texas player to be a part of multiple NBA Championship teams. Martin won five titles during his Hall of Fame career, including four championships with the Minneapolis Lakers (1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954) and one with the St. Louis Hawks (1958).
Dexter Pittman was inactive but with the Miami Heat's 2012 NBA Championship team, while Cory Joseph played with the San Antonio Spurs' 2015 NBA Championship team. Thompson averaged a double-double in The Finals while helping the Cleveland Cavaliers win the 2016 NBA Championship.
Former Texas Players on NBA Championship Team Rosters
|
Year |
Player |
Team |
|
1950 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
|
1952 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
|
1953 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
|
1954 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
|
1958 |
Slater Martin |
St. Louis Hawks |
|
2012 |
Dexter Pittman |
Miami Heat |
|
2014 |
Cory Joseph |
San Antonio Spurs |
|
2016 |
Tristan Thompson |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
|
2017 |
Kevin Durant |
Golden State Warriors |
|
2018 |
Kevin Durant |
Golden State Warriors |
