Kevin Durant contribution a slam dunk for Bowie State University

Basketball superstar Kevin Durant was born in the District of Columbia and has played for NBA teams in Seattle, Oklahoma City, California, Brooklyn and Phoenix. But Durant grew up in Prince George’s County, and his heart remains there.

This is why Durant and his charitable foundation, the Durant Family Foundation, recently announced they are donating $500,000 to renovate the basketball arena at Bowie State University.

“We are dedicated to providing resources and possibilities to students for higher education, especially in Prince George’s County,” said foundation head Wanda Durant, Kevin’s mother, when the gift was announced. “Bowie State was the perfect place to make a meaningful impact.”

It was perfect as well for Bowie State, the oldest historically black college or university in the state.

“We are grateful for the resources that Kevin Durant and his foundation have generously donated to Bowie State University,” said the school’s president, Aminta Breaux, in a statement. “His contributions will go a long way towards updating our facilities and ensure a top-tier athletic experience for all of our students.”

Clyde Doughty, vice president for athletics and recreation at Bowie State, echoed those comments.

“It will be great to have this relationship with Kevin Durant,” he said. “His career is synonymous with excellence, it’s been phenomenal.  Besides that, he’s a great individual.

“This is not Duke (University) or (the University of) Maryland,” Doughty added, noting that as a small, Division III school, Bowie State does not have the resources of the larger Division I schools. “We’re very thankful for the Durant Foundation and their generous donation.”

The grant money will be used for some much-needed renovations to the basketball arena at the 50-year-old Leonidas S. James Physical Education Complex, Doughty said. The renovations include:

• a new surface for the court floor, and adding the foundation’s name to the floor;
• improvements to the seating areas, to help the visibility for spectators;
• updates to the press box area;
• adding graphics to the wall, such as sponsors’ names;
• additional state-of-the-art graphics that will include photos of players, hall-of-famers, championship teams – graphics that depict Bowie State athletics; and,
• new lights, to brighten the arena.

Besides improving the look of the arena and the experience for fans and players, the changes should help the school’s recruitment efforts, Doughty said.

“It will help put us on par with everybody else. If you don’t have the ammunition, (in a recruiting war) you can’t compete. … We’re trying to keep pace.”

The men’s team lost in the opening round of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Tournament in the most recent season and finished with a record of 7-22.

Bowie State’s basketball court is also used for other sports, such as volleyball, and for non-sports-related campus events, so the upgrades will not just benefit basketball fans.

The upgrades are due to begin in April, Doughty said, and be completed by the start of the fall semester – in time for the basketball season.