Kevin Durant, Jeff Green plan to work toward degrees

When their rookie season ends, Kevin Durant and Jeff Green are going back to school.

Durant sheepishly admits that he was never a book worm and he laughed when describing plans to attend summer classes at Texas where he starred as a freshman before forgoing the final three years of his NCAA eligibility and declaring for the NBA draft.

"Man, if some of my teachers could hear me talking like this they would get a kick out of this," he said. "But I'm not going to lie. I miss school. When I left, I was glad that I didn't have to go to class anymore and study hall, but I kind of miss it a little bit."

Both admit that watching the NCAA tournament has made them nostalgic for college life, but their scholastic pursuits are greater than sentimentality.

Green, who left Georgetown after three years, said he's eager to walk across a stage and collect his degree.

"That's going to mean a lot to me and to my mother," he said. "She cried at my high-school graduation. I know my dad will be all in tears. That's something that he never did. I know he'll cry. And I will too."

Green, who said he's about 24 credits shy of graduating, studied sociology, but he's considering changing his major to business.

"I don't know yet, but I want to take some classes just to see how it is," he said. "I want to try to get in touch with Magic Johnson. He's a guy that I look up to, basketball-wise, and the things he did off the court. I want to just to start thinking about the future."

Durant is guaranteed at least $8.5 million from his rookie contract, and he signed a $60 million deal with Nike. But the 19-year-old said he, too, is planning for life after basketball.

"Even though I love the game, I can't play forever and you can't do nothing without the degree," he said. "So I got to get it sooner or later. It's going to take awhile, but I'd rather it take awhile than not having one."

The decision to attend school means Durant and Green will not play with the Sonics summer league team in Orlando. Durant begins classes June 5. Green expects to spend most of the summer in Washington, D.C., and is organizing a family vacation to the Bahamas.

Durant, who has a few commitments with sponsors, plans to spend the offseason in Seattle, Washington, D.C. (his hometown), and Austin, Texas.

"I think I get the best of both worlds when I'm down there [at Texas]," he said. "Just working out with the guys all summer and the strength coaches that know my body pretty well while I'm away from Seattle. I'm not just going to school. I'll be working out as much as possible and getting my body right."

Durant, who studied education, said he wants to take two classes each summer until he gets his degree.

"One of the best feelings I had last year was turning a paper in and getting it back and seeing that I got a 95," he said. "That felt good. I think getting a degree is very important. My family thinks so.

"And I don't want to tell people that I went to school just because I had to. I want to get it done and it's a dream that I've always wanted to accomplish."

More arena news?

No one is saying whether this has anything to do with the Sonics, but a group called B2 Inc. will announce plans today to build a privately financed downtown Seattle sports/entertainment/exposition facility.

Seattle marketing agency Wongdoody has organized an 11 a.m. news conference at its office to make the announcement. A spokeswoman for Wongdoody declined to say if the facility could be used by the Sonics.

Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com