Kevin Durant always knows how to make a young fan's day. At Monday's game between the Thunder and Kings, there was a 5-year-old boy named Keaton Barron holding up a sign outlining three goals for 2016, two of which were already checked off: "beat cancer" and "plan trip to Disney." The third, "Meet KD," was not checked off; however, Durant spotted that sign and, at halftime, he approached the fan, autographed his sign, and gave him the shoes he wore for the Thunder-Bulls Christmas Day game:
From last night. Kevin Durant provides inspiration and an unforgettable moment for one little boy with cancer. pic.twitter.com/zuvmBbOEyY
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) January 5, 2016
Keaton Barron was diagnosed with leukemia in August 2012, and in spite of the pain of chemotherapy, he never stopped cheering on the Thunder. According to ESPN.com, Barron was "deemed cancer-free" on December 27, after going through one more round of chemotherapy; the Thunder-Kings game was a way for the family to celebrate the news. Even though Durant's Christmas Day shoes are way too big for his feet, Barron has a new goal for the future:
His parents want to put Durant's size-18s in a protective glass case, but Keaton, who currently wears 2½s, has other ideas. "I want to wear them when I get bigger," Keaton told his parents.
.@KDTrey5 grants cancer survivor's wish. "I've been waiting to meet him my whole life." https://t.co/hxo3OKwOwh pic.twitter.com/TcweOl34cL
— David Payne Purdum (@DavidPurdum) January 7, 2016
(h/t NBA.com)