Adam Silver has a lot of tricks in his bag and the NBA world has witnessed it from time to time. Last season, the commissioner introduced the NBA Cup, which is an In-Season Tournament played during the regular season. Prior to that, he introduced the Play-in Tournament, which allowed the 9th and 10th seeded teams a chance to reach the playoffs. Now, at 62 years old, he has proposed another bold initiative: the On-Campus games.

The On-Campus game is a unique attempt to bridge the gap between professional and collegiate basketball. Moreover, it enables the fans to experience the game in an entirely different setting and viewing experience. There are instances of such games in the past but there isn’t clarity on the origin of the initiative.

Even though this initiative has been a success story in the last few seasons, it got the public attention because of Kevin Durant. The NBA world is excited about an upcoming game between the Phoenix Suns and the San Antonio Spurs on February 20, 2025. The game will see KD will return to his alma mater after 16 years.

The Slim Reaper spent a single season with the University of Texas, donning the Texas Longhorns jersey before moving to the NBA. Despite just one season, Durant made a significant impact on the college’s basketball program. The power forward played 35 games, averaging 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. In addition to these impressive statistics, KD earned several notable honors during his brief stint.

Kevin Durant’s legendary college career and its connection to the On-Campus game

Before donning the Seattle Sonics jersey, Kevin Durant had created massive waves in the NBA, akin to the hype that LeBron James carried ahead of the 2003 rookie season. After winning a lot of accolades in his college stint, all eyes were on the young boy. The media already chattering and comparing him to the greats of the game, expecting him to bag the #1 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.

Unfortunately, KD couldn’t receive the #1 honor, as the Portland Trail Blazers picked Greg Oden. Speaking of his missed opportunity, KD recently opened up in a Boardroom interview, saying, “I understood that pick,” KD said. “Greg was a monster. He was just a dominant big, so if it was somebody in my position or something, maybe [I’d still be upset], but I felt like that was a can’t-miss pick at that time.” Nevertheless, KD’s lead up to the NBA remains a spectacular run.

KD’s college achievements

Kevin Durant became the first freshman to win a Naismith Award. Following him, three others have won it, namely, Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson, and Paige Bueckers. Apart from all this, the Longhorns retired KD’s jersey No. 35 for the commendable achievements he racked up in a one-season stint.

Spurs vs Suns – On-Campus game

According to the latest NBA schedule for the 2024-25 season the Phoenix Suns will visit Texas to take on the San Antonio Spurs at the Moody Center. Even though the majority of fans are expected to root for Victor Wembanyama & Co., many Longhorns are expected to don the #35 jersey to in anticipation of KD’s homecoming.

However, Durant hasn’t played a single game at the Moody Center yet. During his 2006-07 college season, the superstar played all his home games at the Frank Erwin Center, which was the Longhorns’s home court for the longest time until the Moody Center was installed in April 2022. Meanwhile, Durant remains connected to his college, which has honored him by naming the men’s basketball facility and the main entrance to the Denton A. Cooley Pavilion after him.

Following the game against the Suns, the Moody Center will also host a matchup between the Detroit Pistons and the Spurs. Notably, the Spurs have played at the Longhorns’ home court twice in each of the past two seasons.

“We’re thrilled by the response we’ve enjoyed in Austin the last two seasons. We had high hopes when we decided to play regular season games in Austin and the results have far surpassed our expectations … We’re excited to continue to connect with our fans in Austin and across our region in meaningful ways during the 2024-25 season and into the future,”  Brandon James, VP of Spurs’ Strategic Growth, remarked, as per Yahoo Sports.

What does the NBA’s future look like?

If the experiment with Kevin Durant’s homecoming proves to be a success in terms of viewership, we could see more of the events in the future – perhaps even a LeBron James homecoming game. Even though the NBA has help on-campus games before, it remains rare. For instance, the Orlando Magic faced the New Orleans Pelicans in a pre-season game at Syracuse University, but such events are uncommon.

On one hand, Adam Silver has pushed the envelope to widen the NBA’s reach. Recently, during the Paris Olympics, he spoke about expanding the league to European fans. A recent report revealed that Europe has 270 million fans, and an estimated media market value of $20 billion. Therefore, the possibility of European teams facing off against NBA teams is no longer just a distant dream.

On the other hand, Silver has tried his luck at the domestic market at the collegiate level. It may even open the doors for further expansion. What do you make of the NBA’s future? Let us know in the comments below.

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.