Kevin Durant to Host Charity Game in Oklahoma City on October 23

Update 2

(Post bumped to reflect the addition of participant names added on 10/17)

Update/Correction on 10/12

(Previously it had been reported that Durant's game would be on October 27; a later report stated that the game will be played on October 23.)

We have followed Kevin Durant all across the world these past six months as he has worked diligently to bring the game to the fans in order to offset some of the bitterness of the NBA lockout. Durant promised that he would get his own game going for the home town fans of OKC, and it now appears that he's got a game on the docket.

Durant to Host Charity Game in OKC With LeBron, Griffin | NewsOK

Further details are expected later today, but for now here is what we know:

• The game is tentatively scheduled for October 23th inside the Cox Convention Center. The stadium holds up to 14,000, a number which, if filled even to half its capacity, would dwarf any of the previously played charity games.
• The game is titled, "The USFleet Tracking Basketball Invitational," and tickets will go on sale next Monday at noon. Ticket prices will start at $29 and go up to $89 for bowl seating. Limited floor seating will be available for $199. Tickets go on sale October 17.
• Mayberry reports that, even though the players are forbidden from using team facilities, once word got out that Durant was arranging his game the promoters began to line up to lock in their services.
• Ticket prices have not yet been set, but Mayberry notes that the game hosted by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade offered tickets in the $50 to $100 range, and later the court-side seats were fetching as much as $1,000 from the secondary market.
• Former Thunder player Desmond Mason played an integral part in bringing the game to OKC, partnering with Sold Out Strategies to announced the exhibition. Mason is serving as the director of basketball operations for the game.
• At this early stage, a number of names are being thrown around as possible participants. They include:
  • Blake Griffin
  • LeBron James
  • Kobe Bryant
  • Russell Westbrook
  • James Harden
  • Chris Paul
  • Dwyane Wade
  • Carmelo Anthony
  • Chris Bosh
  • Rudy Gay
  • John Wall
  • Jeff Green
  • Kendrick Perkins

One thing is for sure - Durant has been quite magnanimous with his time in flying all over the country to play in other NBA stars' games, so hopefully for OKC's sake those players will return the favor in a few weeks.