BELLEVUE, Wash. –

The Sonics’ Kevin Durant has been honored as the NBA Rookie of the Year, becoming the first Seattle player to win the award _ and perhaps the last.

Durant, the national college player of the year at Texas and the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, averaged 20.3 points per game.

Durant has been a bright spot during a dismal basketball season in Seattle. The Sonics won only 20 games, and the owner is moving the team to Oklahoma City.