Kevin Durant turns 27 today

It's been a bit since he's been in the public eye, but the Oklahoma City Thunder star appears recovered and ready to dominate again in his ninth NBA season. Kevin Durant turns 27 today, and he's hoping this year is his best one yet.

It'll be an eventful season in OKC for sure, with Billy Donavon taking the reigns after the firing of Scott Brooks. Presumably fully healthy for the first time since his MVP 2013-14 campaign, Durant is still the likely second-best player in the NBA only to LeBron James -- but with 22-year-old Anthony Davis quickly approaching.

Paired with Russell Westbrook, who took extreme personal strides as the team's alpha dog last season, Durant has every reason to return to All-Star status -- though his work will be cut out for him in the brutally competitive Western Conference.

Click through the gallery above to see photos of KD throughout his career, and watch the video below to see highlights from Durant's recent visit to Berlin.

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