NBA: Kevin Durant pays tribute to his mother in MVP acceptance speech

Kevin Durant has been awarded the NBA 2013/14 season’s Most Valuable Player award.

The NBA awarded the Oklahoma City Thunder forward with this season’s MVP and the 25-year-old made sure to credit his mother, calling her “the real MVP.”

In a lengthy, tearful and poignant ceremony, Durant thanked his family members, every single teammate from Russell Westbrook to little-known Grant Jerrett, the entire Thunder coaching staff and organization, Oklahoma City and The Oklahoman newspaper for calling him “Mr. Unreliable.”

It was a heartfelt moment for Durant, none more so than when he referenced Pratt, his mother.

“We weren’t supposed to be here,” Durant said. “You made us believe. You kept us off the street. You put clothes on our backs. You put food on the table. When you didn’t eat, you made sure we ate and [you] went to sleep hungry.

“You sacrificed for us. You’re the real MVP.”

Speaking of her pride at her son’s win, his mother explained the magnitude of her son being named MVP had not really hit her prior to the ceremony.

“I’m just kind of emotional about this day because he just worked so hard.”

“He started working at this early, when he was 9 years old. To see it all come together for him, I’m just excited for him.

“It really goes back to what Kevin puts in. I’m sure there are so many guys in the league that work extremely hard every day. But I know how hard he works, I know his heart, I know what he gave early on in the early days, and how many sacrifices he made through the years to even prepare for this moment.”

The MVP award was Durant’s first in his seventh NBA season. It was also the first for a franchise that began as the Seattle SuperSonics during the 1967-68 season before moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.

Durant captured 119 of 125 first-place votes and 1,232 total points. Miami Heat forward LeBron James, a four-time NBA MVP, received the other six first-place votes.

“Everything in my life, I had to go take it,” Durant said. “Nothing was given to me.”

Durant averaged a career-best 32.0 points to go with 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists, also a career high.

In capturing his fourth scoring title, he joined Jordan (10), Chamberlain (seven), Gervin (four), and Allen Iverson (four) as the only players in league annals to win at least four scoring titles.

He shot .503 from the field, .391 from three-point range, and .873 from the free throw line, leading all players in free throws made (703) and attempted (805). Durant authored two 50-point games, topped the 40-point mark on 14 occasions, and turned in 17 games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.

Durant’s consistency was highlighted by his streak of 41 consecutive games scoring at least 25 points, which ran from Jan. 7 through April 6, and was the longest streak since Michael Jordan did it in 40 straight games during the 1986-87 season.