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The year (and friendship) that changed Kevin Durant forever

Related Topics: Kevin Durant, Taishi Ito

THERE RESTS KEVIN DURANT.

Taishi Ito almost can't believe it's really him, all 6-foot-9 and 180 pounds, sprawled out on the top bunk in a dorm room at VCU in June 2005. For a few seconds, Ito, his roommate for the week, stares at how Durant's arms and legs pour over the edges and ends of the bed. Durant is too much person for the top bunk of a college dorm bed, Ito thinks.

They're both here for a top-100 all-star basketball camp. Durant is probably near the top of that 100 list, and Ito is closer to 100th.