Bowie, MD, Sept. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bowie, MD — September 20, 2023— Bowie State University hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the brand new NBA-quality basketball court, funded by a $500,000 gift from Kevin Durant and the Durant Family Foundation.
The gift, announced in December 2022, provided for upgrades to the gymnasium, including a new basketball court, added seating and a refurbished press box. The foundation’s donation also supports the men and women’s basketball team and other university athletics programs.
“Kevin Durant has not only proven that he’s an elite basketball player, he is a giver,” said Clyde Doughty, Bowie State’s vice president for intercollegiate athletics and recreation. “With his gift through the Durant Foundation, we are now in this space which will be here for forever and a day. Everybody that walks into this facility now goes, ‘Wow!’”
Wanda Durant, Kevin Durant’s mother, attended the ceremony. Overcome with emotion, she shared what it meant to see how far she had come from the days of bringing her sons to play in Bowie State’s gym to being able to give back to the university’s athletics program.
“When I sit back and think about my son playing in this very gym at age nine, I never thought I’d be here this day,” said Durant. “I remember the many years I brought my sons here to play, sitting up in the bleachers and hollering at the referees. I never thought it would come to this.”
Durant also hoped that Kevin’s gift could serve as an example to athletes across the country of the impact they could have in donating to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), which have been historically underserved in terms of federal and state funding.
“I’m grateful that he realized that it’s important for him to give back to an HBCU, and maybe he can be a catalyst for other athletes throughout the country to give back to HBCUs,”.
Bowie State President Aminta Breaux highlighted that the university does not receive state funding for its athletics program, and it’s important for Bowie State to build relationships with individuals and organizations to provide the top-of-the-line resources to student-athletes. Bowie State’s connection with Durant’s charity helps the university in a major way as it moves towards that goal.
“Bowie State’s partnership with the Durant Family Foundation has made our vision of an upgraded gymnasium a reality with improvements to the court and seating,” said Dr. Breaux. “This half million-dollar gift by the Durant Family Foundation to Bowie State’s athletic department transformed basketball, and it will energize the students behind me to get some wins.”
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