First-Team All-America: USA Today; Parade Magazine.

Co-MVP: McDonald's All-American Game.

Member: Nike Hoop Summit and Jordan All-American Classic teams.

And it all started in the streets of Washington, D.C.

"It was a constant grind, just to make the teams in high school - just to be considered one of the better players in the area was a great accomplishment. It was a tough brand of basketball. Everybody tried to come at you really hard and nobody was ever going to give in."

That toughness is a big key in what makes DC hoops so strong.

"There's always good basketball players coming out every year. Everybody knows each other and tries to make each other better, playing against each other and working out together in the summertime. Every year guys are just getting better and moving on to the next level."

Kevin helped his team post a sparkling 20-2 record - backed by a No. 9 national ranking - as a senior at Montrose Christian (Rockville, Maryland) where he averaged 23.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and nearly 3 blocks per game on his way to being named Washington Post All-Met Player of the Year.

And all that after he already earned 2nd Team All-America honors by scoring 19.6 points - on a ridiculous 65% shooting from the field - and grabbing 8.8 rebounds per game as a junior at Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia).

"Oak Hill was a lot different than Montrose. It was more of a college setting because we stayed in the dorms, walked to class and traveled a lot. And then all the exposure that comes with playing on TV made it even more like a college atmosphere. We were playing with some of the best players in the country, against some of the best players in the country, every single night."

That college-like atmosphere helped Kevin grow as a person, too.

"It was a lot of fun, but I also learned how to really live on my own and how to control school and basketball."

He learned how to make smooth transitions in new surroundings, too.

"I just never made excuses and I always made sure I fit in. Even if I was the best guy on the team, I made sure the last guy on the bench felt like he contributed to the win. That's one thing I learned about being a leader: my teammates respected me, not for coming in as a top player but for making it seem like I was actually the worst player on the team. By working really hard, hanging with those guys all the time and making sure I encouraged them as equals."

Kevin Durant's prep career was filled with accolades, awards and praise - backed by the raw numbers and sheer physical skills to make every opponent remember his name.

All the evidence listed above? Doesn't even include the work he put in on the AAU circuit with a litter of teammates that would go on to play big-time college and pro ball after dominating their summer hoop school courses.

But even with all that success. Even being rated as the second-best overall national high school prospect. Even a house full of shelves with glistening trophies and awards.

None of it came easy.

"I don't think basketball really comes naturally to anybody when they're a youngster. I remember the first time I picked up a basketball like it was yesterday, walking into the gym and seeing people just throwing the ball in the basket - I thought it would be easy. But man was I wrong. It was kind of frustrating early on because I wasn't making any shots - not even layups. And people were laughing at me!"

Obviously, that didn't last too long.

"From when I first started playing, I just wanted to get better. I wanted to become 'OK' at it, and I became 'OK.' But I wasn't satisfied - I wanted to become 'good.' And then I got 'good' - and I still wasn't satisfied. So 'good' became 'great' and then 'greater' and 'greater.' Ever since I touched a basketball, it was just a true love for the game and wanting to master it."
To even approach mastering his skills, basketball had to become a daily occurrence.

"Whether it was running up hills, running to the gym, running laps around the gym, defensive slides, using heavy balls to work on my dribbling or just literally walking up and down the street dribbling a basketball...I did a lot of crazy stuff that I really didn't even think had anything to do with basketball. But it did - and I was always in the gym. Especially on weekends, from 8 o'clock to 10 o'clock at night I was always there. Shooting. Dribbling. Making sure I was getting something in every day."

That work ethic was instilled by almost everyone around him.

"I was always taught - by my mom, my godfather, my brother, my grandmother, my father, everybody really - to never get complacent. That if you continue to work, the sky's the limit."

Kevin's message to young players regarding the value of all that hard work:

"It's no different from the 12th man on the roster to the star player: first of all, hard work is the easiest thing you can actually do. And it's really the only thing you can control, how hard you work. It puts you in great positions. Positions to succeed."

And added to the work you've got to put in? A heavy dose of patience.

"It's truly a virtue, patience. Nothing gets better overnight. You can't just workout one day and think you're going to be great the next day. And I learned that early - sometimes I was working out three times a day and not really seeing any improvement in my game. But my godfather - who's really the one who taught me how to play - he always told me to keep working hard and it would pay off. And you know what? I never believed him! Because as a kid you're just not patient and you want to see results as quickly as possible. So I had to learn the hard way, through hard work, believing in myself and having faith."

Faith...and fundamentals.

"They're such a key part of the game, those basics. You've got to learn how to learn and maximize the small things, how to play the game the right way. It's not about looking for your shot as soon as you step across half court or doing a million crossover dribbles and not looking for your teammates. I had to learn that, too. As my game grew, I learned how to lean on my teammates. Because you can't win the game all by yourself."

But as Kevin blossomed into a true star, one big part of his basketball heart was left at a total loss.

"Losing my godfather was really tough - I can't even explain how much he helped me and my brother and all of my teammates. He was just a great person to be around who always looked out for us."

He's reminded every time he puts on his jersey, paying homage to his late mentor and coach, Charles Craig.

"I wanted to do something to make sure he was with me on the court all the time because I know he's watching over all of us right now. And that's why I wear that 35."