To become an NBA player, it comes with a lot of sacrifice. To become a superstar like Kevin Durant requires something more than sacrifice. The 2x Champion is a balling genius, who is unstoppable on the court, sinking buckets after buckets. What if we tell you that KD achieved this feat with the help of a penny, a pin, and a matchbox? Well, it isn’t just those three things. Durant definitely had years of practice and sacrifice under his belt, but these things also played a major role.

Who has better knowledge than KD’s mother Wanda Durant to talk about her son’s balling journey? Speaking to Andscape, she revealed an anecdote from the superstar’s childhood. But before, Wanda spoke about how the family remembered KD as a child, saying, “Age 10, when he committed to basketball and over the years he missed out on family gatherings and some family vacations because he was at tournaments or he was practicing.”

Adding to that, Wanda continued with the episode to establish how basketball was part of the superstar from a very young age. She added, “There was a time when he played with a penny, a clothespin, and a matchbox card in my mother’s living room. And I was like. ‘Kevin what are you doing with this?’ and he said, ‘I’m creating basketball plays’. He would do that for hours and hours.”

Despite the tall 6 ’11 frame, Kevin Durant can be seen orchestrating the plays and carrying the ball into the play. Sometimes, the big man would direct his teammates using a basketball play already in his head. And, of course, these plays have come out effective and transformed into a lethal offense machine. While we credit the superstar’s time on the court for his balling prowess, let’s not forget the three things that ignited basketball brains in his childhood.

Kevin Durant is “flawless”

The Phoenix Suns superstar has continued to be on top of his game right throughout his career. The Slim Reaper’s big break came when he paired with Stephen Curry in the Bay Area. He arguably made the Golden State Warriors the best team in the league. KD went on to collect 2x Finals MVP during his 3-year stint with the Dubs.

Five years have passed since Durant left the franchise, but Steph still seemed to be in awe of the superstar. A few days ago, KD made his return to the Olympics with a bang, finishing the first group stage game with 8/9 FG, coming off the bench. Following the game, fans and legends across the world hailed him, including his former teammate.

Speaking of the performance, Steph said, “KD was unbelievable in the first half, and that gave us a big boost. Nothing he does surprises me. He was flawless in the first half. I think he had 21 points or something like that. It was special. He’s totally used to this scenario. He’s the leading scorer in the history of the U.S. national team for a reason. It was great to see.” The duo may have one last crack at the Olympic games, as they take on France in the gold medal game. Will Kevin Durant showcase his prowess against Les Bleus? Let us know in the comments.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.