We love us some Kevin Durant here at STACK. Then again, what’s not to like about the soft-spoken player? Humble yet confident, long but finesse, big-time star in a mid-major market…and perfectly content with it! The kid’s got it all.
A few weeks back, we tipped you off on the OK City teen documenting his daily run-ins with Durant on the YouTube channel, KD35sNeighbor (view the post “Kevin Durant Is In The ‘Hood”).
The videos are a trip. What started out as borderline stalking blossomed into personal interaction with KD, who opened the doors to his house, minivan and even his backyard “Little Hoop Hut.”

Kevin Durant Bench Press

Moving on to more STACK-related matters: in a video posted last week on the channel, KD throws some weight around while quieting the remaining haters who doubted his younger self’s ability during pre-draft workouts (he quieted most haters a long time ago with his big-time performances night in and night out).
If you’re not familiar, Durant was unable to perform even one rep of the 185-lb. Bench Press test at the NBA Draft Combine in 2007, which he elaborates on in the video (peep the video, “Hold Up, Weight a Minute”). Thereafter, he proceeds to a barbell loaded with 315 lbs., assumes the position, and slowly but steadily busts out one rep, touching the bar to his chest and fully extending those long limbs of his.
Of course, the shot goes extra zoom on KD’s face as he performs the lift, so there’s no telling who is spotting—generously—on each end of the barbell.
It’s all in good fun. Furthermore, STACK followers and ballers should know that KD is all about improving functional strength that translates to the court. His 315 max rep was a stunt. Loading up the barbell with as much weight as you’re able to lift for one rep is not efficient training for basketball.
Rather, the Oklahoma City kid challenges himself in the weight room with—take a deep breath—the Walking Dumbbell Push-Up-to-Row, an extensive exercise that offers a basketball athlete much more bang for his buck than the standard Bench Press. Dwight Daub, performance coach for the Thunder, says, “This is a tremendous combination exercise that trains the entire upper body. You use your shoulders, lats, chest and core for stabilization.”
“It’s not easy,” Daub affirms, which is why you may be best off starting with a Basic Dumbbell Row From Push-Up Position (minus the walkout). Once you’ve dominated that lift, then progress to the more advanced variation.
As always, we’ll be bringing you plenty more from KD—both on and off the court.