Kevin Durant accepted his NBA MVP in Oklahoma City yesterday surrounded by adoring fans, but most importantly, with his mom in the audience.

Confessing he was a “little nervous,” Durant talked about his childhood, saying, “I’ve been through the toughest times with my family, but I’m still standing. The odds were stacked against us.”

“We moved from apartment to apartment, by ourselves,” he tearfully recalled. “One of the best memories I have is when we moved into our first apartment. No bed, no furniture, and we just all sat in the living room and just hugged each other. Because we thought we’d made it.”

Addressing his mom, Durant said, “You made us believe, you kept us off the street, put clothes on our back, food on the table… you made sure we ate, you went to sleep hungry. You sacrificed for us, you’re the real MVP.”

>>> Check Out: Honoring the Unique and Lasting Impact of a Mother