A close friend of Kevin Durant, Cliff Dixon, shot and killed during his birthday celebration | Bleacher's report

Cliff Dixon, a close friend of Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant, died early Thursday morning after being shot and wounded in the metropolitan area of ​​Atlanta, Asia. Simone Burns from Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Police spokesman Chamblee (Georgia) Michael Beller said Dixon was at the SL Lounge to celebrate his 32nd birthday. Beller also said Dixon had just arrived before filming.

Billy Kobin of Louisville Courier Journal reported that Dixon was a former basketball player from western Kentucky. Burns added that Durant calls Dixon his "adoptive brother".

Dave East, a rapper who played at the AAU Ball with Durant and Dixon, wrote about Dixon's death on Instagram (warning: the link contains blasphemies).

"I can not think of any memories with @easymoneysniper or @tdurant And you were not there, "he posted.We have been cool for about 16-17 years. "

Durant mentioned Dixon in his speech, accepting the NBA's Best Player Award 2013-14, according to the San Francisco ChronicleConnor Letourneau:

the Oklahomanof Darnell Mayberry describes Dixon as a member of Durant's "clique" and someone whose mother, Durant, Wanda Pratt, "took "when he was 16 years old.

"They did their part to get this case off the ground, "said Durant about his group of friends including Dixon, by Mayberry.Because it is difficult to live in this lifestyle, to play in the NBA, to travel a lot, to have a lot of money. It's hard to grasp from an early age. And they have helped me with since day one. "

Dixon joined Western Kentucky before the 2009-10 season as a transfer from Hutchinson Community College in Kansas and played two seasons for Hilltoppers.