Warriors Kevin Durant speaks Cousins, plane

OAKLAND – This is a bird! It's a plane! It's a power forward!

A flight lands here on Wednesday morning with Kevin Durant's face and his arms extended over almost the entire Boeing 737. It is part of an Alaska Airlines campaign, which uses Durant's likeness on his fleet while helping the Warriors charity efforts of the star.

The athletes' recommendations are not new, but they were much larger than a box of Wheaties. There is a plane and is on a plane . Once Durant gave up, I asked the MVP for the NBA Finals what it was like to see his face on this scale.

"All I could think of was how I grew up and where I came from," said the Warrior star, referring to her family's poverty in Seat Pleasant, Maryland. "Nobody knew who I was – none of my friends would ever think that would happen to me – it's pretty pretty."

How he grew up is why he is here: Durant discovered his childhood hi in basketball. And this stopover at Oakland International Airport has been designed to help other children do the same.

The nine-star team filled the plane with 80 young basketball players, including teams from the Bay Area, to take them to Las Vegas for the BigFoot Clbadic Hoops.

"The main goal is to help children flourish," said Durant, 29, who travels to Las Vegas for a pair of team practices US. "As a young child playing at the AAU, I know how important it is.It's just a transition from being a kid and loving the game to eventually doing it." as a professional. "

Durant has a history of this kind of thing. Last year, he pledged more than $ 13 million to primarily education-oriented organizations to win the NBA Community Assist Award. Now he feels like he can do more. Earlier this month, Durant signed a two-year contract that will pay him $ 30 million next season with a $ 31.5 million player option for 2019-2020.

The Durant aircraft – nicknamed "Flight 35" after his jersey number – was not the only notable arrival in Oakland recently. DeMarcus Cousins ​​held his introductory press conference last week after signing with the reigning NBA champions for the exception of mid-level taxpayers worth 5, $ 3 million.

Cousins ​​are out indefinitely with an Achilles injury. But on his return, the center will make the Warriors the first team since the 1975-76 Boston Celtics to play five All-Stars from the previous season at the same time.

Durant hopes his new teammate is recovering quickly.

"Oh, I'm so excited to have DeMarcus in the team," Durant said. "I think it's going to be amazing, I think it's going to help us as much as we're helping him in. I can not wait until he comes back from his injury to be able to come back to this what he likes to do. "

Cousins ​​has a past gone astray because of his reputation for clashing with coaches, teammates and the media. Durant says it will be a perfect new start.

"I know he's going to love the Bay Area and the fans of Oakland, especially Oakland," he said. "This city, this community, its personality fits perfectly, I'm happy to see how it fits into the organization and the city."

Durant made the adjustment in easy air on Wednesday. Dozens of high school kids were huddling against the glbad to watch the 7-foot go down into the waiting room. Durant arranged for all of them to get a pair of his latest signature shoe with Nike, the KD11.

I asked Kevin Durant about DeMarcus Cousins ​​joining #Warriors pic.twitter.com/X4GZXESuDN

– Daniel Brown (@mercbrownie) 25 July 2018

Camille Morales, a postman for the San Jose Cagers, has described it as a unique opportunity. This is a big fan of Warriors who tries to imitate Durant's playing style.

"I try to incorporate the way he goes down the floor and goes out at the break," said Morales, who also plays for Archbishop Mitty High. "When he gets a rebound, he sprints on the floor … I make sure I'm still jostling."

For Jhaylon Martinez, a 6-foot-10 Fairfield striker, the call was obvious: "I like his size and his ability to shoot."