NBA Star Kevin Durant Regains Lost Coinbase Bitcoin

Meta Description: NBA legend Kevin Durant regains access to his long-lost Coinbase account, unlocking Bitcoin bought a decade ago as BTC now trades above $115K.

Key Takeaways

• Kevin Durant recovers Coinbase account nearly a decade after losing access to his Bitcoin wallet.
  
• Early Bitcoin buyer: Durant and agent Rich Kleiman started investing around 2014–2015 after encouragement from VC Ben Horowitz.
  
• Bitcoin’s meteoric rise: Since 2016, BTC soared from under $1,000 to over $115,000 today — a more than 11,000% gain.
  
• Coinbase customer service scrutiny: Durant’s recovery highlights ongoing complaints from other locked-out users.
  
• Durant’s venture roots: Through Thirty Five Ventures, Durant was also an early Coinbase investor.
  

Kevin Durant Unlocks His Bitcoin

After nearly a decade of being locked out, NBA superstar Kevin Durant has regained access to his Coinbase account, where his early Bitcoin holdings sat untouched. The recovery was confirmed by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong on X, who posted: “We got this fixed. Account recovery complete!”

Durant, a 15-time NBA All-Star now preparing to play with the Houston Rockets, shared the story earlier this week at the Gameplan Summit in Santa Monica. Sitting beside his agent Rich Kleiman, Durant recalled first discovering Bitcoin around 2014 or 2015 by watching YouTube videos. That curiosity led to an investment journey that started with hesitation but eventually grew into significant exposure.

How Durant Got Into Bitcoin

Kleiman explained that Durant initially nudged him toward Bitcoin, but their business manager “shut it down.” A year later, things changed dramatically when they attended a party hosted by a16z co-founder Ben Horowitz, where “Bitcoin” kept coming up in conversation. The very next day, Durant and Kleiman began investing.

Ironically, losing access to his Coinbase login may have been a blessing in disguise. Kleiman admitted that because they couldn’t retrieve Durant’s account information, they never sold any of his Bitcoin, which means Durant’s holdings remained untouched during Bitcoin’s meteoric rise.

In 2016, Bitcoin traded between $400 and $1,000. Today, BTC has skyrocketed past $115,000, representing a gain of over 11,470% since Durant’s early investment days.

Coinbase Support Faces Familiar Criticism

While Durant’s account recovery is a good-news story, it also sparked frustration among regular Coinbase customers. Several users on X noted that they have been locked out of their accounts for years without resolution.

One user wrote: “You have thousands of people that are locked out of their accounts, Brian. The same people who your CS team sold out & gave their data away.”

In response, Armstrong acknowledged the criticism, saying Coinbase is putting a “big focus on getting better at customer support” by improving products to reduce support needs and delivering a “faster, higher-quality experience” when customers do need help.

Durant’s Crypto Legacy and Market Impact

Durant isn’t just a casual investor. Through his business venture Thirty Five Ventures, he was also an early backer of Coinbase itself, making his personal recovery story intertwined with the platform’s legacy.

For the broader crypto market, the story is symbolic. It highlights how early believers — even those who lost access — have seen life-changing gains simply by holding Bitcoin long term. It also underscores ongoing challenges with crypto custody, customer support, and the importance of secure account management.

As Durant takes the court in Houston this season, his recovered Bitcoin wallet will serve as a reminder of both the opportunities and risks of early crypto adoption.