Team captain for the Eastern Conference's Kevin Durant had been first ruled out of the 2022 NBA All-Star Game due to a knee injury, but the Brooklyn Nets star forward wasn't able to attend the festivities altogether.

Wanda Durant announced on Instagram that Barbara Davis, her mother, and Kevin Durant's grandmother, died on Sunday, CBS Sports reported.

"It is with great sadness that we share with family and friends that our Dear Sweet Mama, BARBARA A. Davis, transitioned early this morning," Wanda Durant wrote.

Words cannot express how the family is feeling at the moment, according to Wanda. She also expressed her gratitude for everyone's prayers, condolences, and good wishes and added that "God is good and that His peace comforts all of us."

Durant is recognized for his close relationship with his family, particularly with his mother.

Wanda is a regular at his games, and Durant's 2014 MVP speech in which he called her the "real MVP" is one of the most heart-warming moments in recent NBA history.

It is no surprise that the All-Star captain would miss the Cleveland Game to be with his mother and family during this difficult time.

Durant Set to Be Honoured as an NBA's 75th Anniversary Team Member

During the 71st NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, February 20, Durant was scheduled to be honored with the rest of the players during a special halftime ceremony at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

According to the NBA website, the ceremony will take fans on a journey through the league's first 75 years, in recognition of the players who have shined the brightest and who have highlighted the themes that served as the NBA cornerstones since its founding: "competition, culture, and inclusion."

Looking further ahead, whether Durant will be back on the court is still unclear. He suffered a sprained MCL against the New Orleans Pelicans on January 15 and has been sidelined since then.

Brooklyn's roster looks a whole lot different than it did the last time Durant suited up, as the Nets traded veteran forward Paul Millsap and star guard James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Andre Drummond, Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and a pair of picks prior to the trade deadline earlier this week.

While the new-look Nets will likely take some time to develop solid chemistry, Durant is enthusiastic about the team's potential.

According to Nets head coach Steve Nash, he has lately begun conducting on-court work, but there is still no official timeframe for his comeback, which was initially expected in four to six weeks.

ALSO READ: NBA All-Star 2022: DJ Khaled to Headline Star-Studded Performances on All-Star Saturday Night

Nets Star Kevin Durant's Brutally Honest Reaction To Slam Dunk Contest Letdown

After a halftime appearance during the 2021 NBA All-Star Weekend, the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest was back as the headliner event of the Saturday Night festivities.

However, with the exception of a few outstanding duels, the event's entertainment value has declined in recent years. It's an opinion shared not only by fans but also by former and current NBA players, and it turns out that even Brooklyn Nets great Kevin Durant had to weigh in on the letdown.

In a tweet by podcast co-host Eddie Gonzales suggesting that Durant would have won that Dunk Contest if he only had joined the festivities, the 12-time All-Star player responded with a GIF of himself with the caption, "Me after a basic one hand."

The superstar's tweet quickly went viral.

"YOURE THE GOAT KD," a fan account wrote out in all-caps.

"Being able to use yourself as a gif is such a flex omg," pointed out another Twitter user.

KD does not appear to be interested in participating in the Dunk Contest anytime soon. In his tweet, he also seemed to be downplaying his dunking ability. Although the Nets superstar is not the most flashy aerial acrobat out there, he has had his fair share of posters throughout the years.

Be that as it may, fans believe that Kevin Durant would have had a shot at winning Saturday's Dunk Contest if he actually participated.

READ MORE: NBA All-Star Draft: Who's Playing in Team LeBron and Team Durant?

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Team Durant Introductions - 2022 NBA All-Star Game