Who is Kevin Durant's father, Wayne Pratt, and where is he now?
Kevin Durant's father is mainly known for abandoning the future NBA star at a young age, but there is much more to the story. Wayne Pratt reportedly deeply regrets his actions and has come a long way to form a relationship with his son.
As most know, Durant's father wasn't around when KD was young. During his MVP speech in 2014, he touched on how hard his mom worked to raise him as a single parent, calling her "the real MVP." However, Durant has learned to make amends with his dad.
While Durant was making his rise to NBA stardom from a young age, Wayne Pratt also had a hand in the game. Along with being a police officer for 20 years, he was also an assistant coach.
Pratt left the family when KD was an infant, but eventually worked his way back. However, it took a long time for his sons to forgive him for what he had done.
Kevin Durant's father has a good relationship with the NBA star now
Decades later, Kevin Durant's father has managed to build a working relationship with his family. In fact, he helped KD during one of the roughest stretches of his career.
In the summer of 2016, Kevin Durant made the decision to leave the OKC Thunder to join Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. While many bashed him for his decision, his father was proud of what his son had done.
“It was growth as a man,” Pratt said. “The majority of decisions that were made for Kevin were made by me or his mom. This time, it was made by him using all the information that he gathered.
"He came up with a logical decision. To me, as a father and a husband and a man, it was good to see him make a man decision.”
Kevin Durant's father was among those around him when he made the decision to join Golden State. Understanding the road ahead, he was ready to stand by his son's side and support him during this journey.
“I said, ‘Let’s go if that’s what you want to do!’ I said, ‘You understand the backlash that’s going to happen?’ He said, ‘I’m ready for it.’
"I was just happy that my son at 27 years old made a man decision. We knew that backlash was going to happen. But that’s what makes America so great. We know that everyone was going to have their view, and I’m fine with that.”
It might have been a long journey, but it seems that Durant and Pratt have managed to work through things and come together as father and son.