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NBA star Kevin Durant tears up talking about Team USA, Olympics

Talking about playing for Team USA had perennial NBA All-Star Kevin Durant in tears.

The new Netflix docuseries “Court of Gold” had behind-the-scenes access to all things basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics, including Team USA, who Durant was starring for in his fourth Olympics.

In Netflix’s teaser video of the docuseries, which released on Monday, an emotional Durant had to stop midway through an interview to wipe his tears while talking about his time with Team USA and how much it means to him.

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Team United States forward Kevin Durant (Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports)

“I come from neighborhoods where people don’t even talk to each other,” Durant said with emotion. “There’s so much hate in the world, too. When people get to start laughing and joking for the game of ball, it’s cool to me.

“So, like, it gets me emotional, dog.”

Seeing the world unite through the game of basketball is something that still fascinates Durant to this day.

“It’s crazy to see people travel so long to come see their favorite player play in the Olympics,” he explained. “They send their money, they bring their whole family. It’s just dope to me.”

Durant went on to say that “the game has saved my life. It brought me and my family out of a lot of bulls—. I’m just grateful for it.”

Durant is one of many Team USA stars featured in the six-part docuseries, but he’s arguably the best player to ever wear the red, white and blue on his jersey.

Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson (45) guards Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant. (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

Durant didn’t play for Team USA in the 2008 Olympics after his rookie season, but he’s been a part of the gold-medal winning teams over the last four Games. No player in USA Basketball history has four gold medals to their name.

Durant also has the most points ever scored by a Team USA basketball player, men or women, and he did so on his way to helping the U.S. win gold in Paris over France.

The Phoenix Suns star is 36 years old and has spent the past 17 years playing professional basketball after he was selected second overall by the then-Seattle Supersonics in the 2007 NBA Draft.

Durant has gone on to make 15 All-Star teams, win two NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors, be the NBA’s leading scorer four times and make the All-NBA team 11 times.

Kevin Durant (Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

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There is no doubting Durant has future Hall of Famer written all over his resume, but he clearly loves playing the game for his country as well as in the NBA.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

February 19, 2025
Suns’ Kevin Durant becomes 8th player in NBA history to score 30,000 points in loss to the Grizzlies

Kevin Durant continues to etch his name into NBA history books.

Durant, 36, became the eighth player in NBA history to score 30,000 points when he hit a free throw late in the third quarter in the Phoenix Suns’ 119-122 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.

Durant joins LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki and Wilt Chamberlain in the 30,000-point club.

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Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant salutes fans after scoring his 30,000th career point during the Memphis Grizzlies game at Footprint Center. (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

Julius Erving also surpasses the 30,000-point mark when you combine his points scored in the NBA and ABA.

“It’s a true honor to be in the same category as those players who helped shape the game and pushed the game forward,” Durant said. “That’s always been my goal is to get the most out of myself every day, get the most out of my career. To be mentioned with those guys, I must be doing something right.”

The 14-time All-Star is averaging just over 27 points per game this season, shooting a fantastic 52.8% from the field and 40.4% from beyond the arc.

Durant, listed at 6-foot-11, has carved up defenses his entire 17-year career with supreme shooting ability while also dominating in the paint.

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Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Suns forward Kevin Durant shake hands after their game, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

The four-time scoring champion was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and has lived up to the hype.

In nine seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise, he scored 17,566 points. In three seasons with the Golden State Warriors, he scored 5,374 points.

During three seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, he scored 3,744 points, and with the Suns he has scored 3,324 points over three seasons in Phoenix.

Durant won the MVP in 2013-2014 when he led the league in scoring, averaging 32 points per game.

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Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson guards Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant at Footprint Center. (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

“It’s special for everyone who’s around him every day,” Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said. “I think we’re amazed by him, the way he comes to work, the time he puts in, the attention to detail, the effort. It’s translated to 30,000 points. He’s just a special player and a special human being.”

Durant scored 34 points on 12-18 shooting in the Suns’ loss.

The Suns are 11th in the Western Conference at 26-27 and will look to turn things around when they play the Houston Rockets at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.

February 13, 2025
Canada appoints Kevin Brosseau to serve as fentanyl czar

Canada appointed a fentanyl czar on Tuesday in accordance with a deal made with U.S. President Donald Trump to avoid additional tariffs on Canadian imports.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau chose Kevin Brosseau, who spent decades with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, for the position aimed at working with the U.S. to “detect, disrupt and dismantle” the fentanyl trade. His appointment is effective immediately.

Brosseau has extensive law enforcement experience, having served as deputy commissioner and the commanding officer in Manitoba during his career as a Mountie. He most recently worked with Trudeau as his deputy national security and intelligence advisor.

“Mr. Brosseau navigated Canada’s most sensitive security challenges. His demonstrated expertise tackling drug trafficking, organized crime networks, and other national security threats will bring tremendous value to this position,” Trudeau said in his announcement.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed former Mountie Kevin Brosseau to serve as the country’s fentanyl czar. (Kevin Brosseau / X)

Brosseau’s appointment comes days after Trump threatened to impose an additional 25% tariff on Canadian imports, citing the flow of illegal aliens and drugs, such as fentanyl, across the northern border.

Trump agreed to a 30-day pause on the tariffs in order to assess Canada’s response to his demands, which revolved around creating a stronger border.

In addition to appointing a fentanyl czar, Trudeau said the country will implement a $1.3 billion border plan that utilizes Black Hawk helicopters, drones, mobile surveillance towers and nearly 10,000 frontline personnel to protect the U.S.-Canada border.

Canada is implementing a border plan worth $1.3 billion to bolster law enforcement’s presence and crackdown on the fentanyl discovered at entry points. (Cole Burston/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

He also said organized crime cartels will be listed as terrorist entities in order to enforce criminal investigations in Canada.

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Focusing on fentanyl production and trafficking, Canada will be adding new and expanded detection capacity at border entry points and building a Canadian Drug Analysis Center where authorities will study illegal drug samples to identify where and how they are manufactured.

“While less than 1% of the fentanyl intercepted at the U.S. border comes from Canada, any amount of fentanyl is too much,” Trudeau said, adding that “fentanyl must be wiped from the face of the Earth, its production must be shut down, and its profiteers must be punished.”

President Donald Trump threatened an additional 25% on Canadian imports if the country didn’t increase security at the northern border. (Nicholas Kamm)

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While the fentanyl that comes through the northern border is significantly less than what comes from Mexico, U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year.

Agents at the U.S.-Mexico border seized 21,100 pounds of fentanyl during the same time period.

February 12, 2025
Trump is ‘right’ to order US to ditch ‘stupid’ penny, Kevin O’Leary says

O’Leary Ventures Chairman Kevin O’Leary shares whether he’s concerned about President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum, the fate of the U.S. penny and the handling of the TikTok sale.

President Donald Trump is one cent away from scrapping the U.S. penny and ‘Shark Tank’ star Kevin O’Leary is agreeing with him.

“For far too long, the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies.”

During an appearance on “Varney & Co.,” Monday, O’Leary said the president is “right” in his request to stop minting.

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“It’s stupid. Why would you pay $0.02 for a commodity that’s worth one?,” O’Leary questioned.

In fiscal year 2024, the U.S. had to pay $3.69 to make one penny, $5.76 to make a dime, $13.78 to make a nickel and $14.68 to make a quarter, according to the U.S. Mint.

FOX Business’ Lydia Hu reports on the Department of Government Efficiency’s latest plan to cut spending during an appearance on ‘Varney & Co.’

“Who uses a penny anyways? Unless you’re putting them in your loafers and nobody does that anymore. Get rid of it. It’s useless,” O’Leary expressed.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is led by billionaire Elon Musk, posted on ‘X’ that producing the penny is costing American taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, suggesting that it may be one of the items the department may consider eliminating.

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However, there are some critics who are pushing back on this move by the president.

Americans for Common Cents Executive Director Mark Weller told FOX Business that “eliminating the penny will cost the government more – not less.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addresses President Donald Trump’s economic and fiscal goals during his first interview on ‘Kudlow’ since joining the administration.

He went on to mention that “without the penny, nickel production could double, compounding the Mint’s financial losses. Any structural change to U.S. coinage should include revamping the nickel and evaluating Mint overhead.”

In the U.S., the penny was one of the first coins made by the U.S. Mint after its establishment in 1792. When it was first produced, the coin was larger and made of pure copper. Today’s smaller coin is made mostly of zinc, according to the U.S. Mint.

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Fox News’ Greg Wehner and FOX Business’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report

February 11, 2025
Fanatics teams up with Kevin Durant’s sports media brand to help athletes’ post-retirement business careers

Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.

Fanatics and Boardroom announced a partnership with one another on Thursday that will aim to help athletes in their business careers after their playing days are over.

Boardroom, the sports media and entertainment platform co-founded by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman, will collaborate with Fanatics to offer a three-day program of professional development initiatives designed specifically for athletes and their management teams.

The first program, dubbed “Boardroom University,” will take place at the second annual Fanatics Fest, which will be at Javits Center in New York from June 20-22.

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Michael Rubin attends Michael Rubin’s 2022 Fanatics Super Bowl Party on Feb. 12, 2022 in Culver City, California. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fanatics / Getty Images)

The program will incorporate a wide range of experiences, including one-on-one mentorship, dinners with CEOs, entrepreneurs and industry leaders, curated panel discussions, hands-on sessions with Fanatics executives, a Mitchell & Ness design challenge and Boardroom Meeting House at Fanatics Fest.

“The spirit of Boardroom has always been to bring people into the rooms we’re lucky enough to be in and curate spaces to share knowledge,” said Kleiman, who also serves as Durant’s agent. “I’m excited to partner with [Fanatics founder and CEO] Michael Rubin and the team at Fanatics to expand the work they’ve already done in this space and bring some incredible programming to athletes and their teams.”

Kevin Durant, #35 of the Phoenix Suns, reacts after scoring in the second half against the Chicago Bulls at United Center on March 3, 2023 in Chicago. (Quinn Harris/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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Rubin added, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Rich, KD and the entire team at Boardroom to reimagine and elevate Fanatics’ athlete development efforts. Fanatics exists because of the incredible athletes across all sports and the connections they have to fans around the world, and we have a commitment to create opportunities for them to thrive beyond their playing careers. That’s exactly what this program is built to do.”

Another three-day program will take place in December, the offseason for MLB, the WNBA and the National Women’s Soccer League.

Fanatics logo embroidered on a Buffalo Sabres jersey. (Fanatics / Fox News)

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Last year’s Fanatics Fest featured some of the biggest names in sports, including the aforementioned Durant, Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, Peyton and Eli Manning, Triple H, David Ortiz and Logan and Jake Paul. This year’s event is already set to have Brady, Jayden Daniels, Ja’Marr Chase, and Micah Parsons, with plenty to be announced.

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February 6, 2025
Kevin Durant says teams aren’t held to same ‘loyalty’ expectations as players are after stunning NBA trade

Sunday morning’s Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis swap is being widely regarded as the most shocking and star-powered trade in sports history.

It’s so big that it was believed that ESPN’s Shams Charania, who broke the story, was hacked, and other reporters reached out to him to make sure his X account was secure.

But alas, the Dallas Mavericks decided to trade a 25-year-old MVP candidate just months after he carried them to an NBA Finals appearance in an attempt to improve their defense.

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Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant during the NBA playoff game against the Clippers, April 22, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The Mavs traded up to the third pick in the 2018 NBA Draft to select Dončić, whose $207 million extension from 2021 is set to expire this season. Being due for a super-max deal worth $345 million, it’s apparent that it played a role in Dončić being moved five days before the NBA’s trade deadline.

Kevin Durant has been traded before – it’s slightly different, as he requested to be traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Phoenix Suns (he also left the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors, and them jumped ship to Brooklyn). But Durant called out NBA teams for their lack of loyalty to their stars, while it’s expected that players be loyal to them –

“Players are held to a different standard of loyalty and commitment to a program, but the organizations don’t get held to that same standard from the outside world, the media members, the fans. We all should be held to that same standard,” Durant said upon hearing the news.

Luka Dončić of the Mavericks handles the ball against Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center on Feb. 26, 2023, in Dallas. (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

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“It’s a transactional game. There’s a lot of money involved, a lot of business involved. We shouldn’t be too shocked about trades and guys moving to different teams, coaches moving to different teams. It’s just the nature of playing basketball and us making this much money, too. It’s a pretty wild time, especially around trade deadline.”

After this megadeal, Durant says the stove could be hot in the NBA.

“You start seeing stuff like that, as an organization, you might get a little more courage to do some stuff. You see another team trade away somebody like that. This got to be the biggest trade I’ve seen since I’ve been in the league or since I’ve been watching the sport. This is insane. So yeah, every other team might get confidence and say f— it, I’ll trade a few of my top players if this ain’t working.”

It’s the first time in NBA history two reigning All-NBA players were traded for one another midseason.

The Lakers received Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks took on Davis, Max Christie and Los Angeles’ 2029 first-round pick. To settle it all out, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

The Slovenian led the NBA with 33.4 points per game last season and won’t turn 26 until later this month. In his career, he averages 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, putting himself in the MVP conversation every year of his young career.

Mavericks guard Luka Dončić reacts after a play against the Boston Celtics during the NBA Finals, June 12, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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Davis, a defensive player of the year candidate last year, is putting up 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds this season, both slightly better than his career averages of 24.2 and 10.7.

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February 2, 2025
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and political allies launch public affairs firm

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has joined forces with five other figures to found Watchtower Strategy, a public affairs organization.

The other people involved include Jeff Miller, Dan Conston, Arthur Schwartz, Cliff Sims and Brian Walsh.

“Watchtower Strategy is a premier public affairs firm founded by six leaders at the pinnacle of American politics. Watchtower specializes in strategy, advocacy, and crisis communications,” the organization’s website declares.

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A press release indicates that the group “will provide strategic advisory services for CEOs and senior executives, helping them navigate high stakes issues at the intersection of business, government, and public relations. The firm also specializes in developing and executing issue advocacy campaigns, with a proven track record of shaping public debates and influencing key policy outcomes.”

Fox News Digital attempted to reach out to McCarthy for comment on Wednesday but did not receive a response in time for publication.

“The launch of Watchtower Strategy comes at a pivotal and promising moment for our country,” McCarrthy said, according to the press release. “Navigating this moment can be both an opportunity and a challenge. The Watchtower team is trusted, tested, and built for success.”

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McCarthy, Watchtower Strategy’s chairman, is also a member of the C3 AI advisory board, and he is on the Anivive Lifesciences board of directors.

C3 AI’s website says the organization “is a leading Enterprise AI software provider for accelerating digital transformation.”

Anivive has described itself as a “pet pharmaceutical company.”

McCarthy obtained the speaker’s gavel in 2023 after a whopping 15 rounds of balloting. He was later ousted from the speakership, and eventually resigned from Congress before the end of his term.

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McCarthy attended President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony last week.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

January 29, 2025