NBA Playoffs 2011: Kevin Durant Should Be New Face of League
Sports leagues use certain players to help promote their product and better their image using a variety of marketing tools.
Whether it be commercials, charity events, etc., sports portray its stars as role models for the younger generations that watch their every move on the court, and these days, their every move off the court.
"Hard work beats talent, when talent fails to work hard." - Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder's superstar forward, should be the new face of the NBA, for reasons having to do with his exceptional play on the court and his well-mannered life off of it.
Since Michael Jordan's final retirement in 2003, the NBA has never had a single player be the face of the sport.
Several players looked like quality candidates for Jordan's former role, but stars such as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James have tarnished their public image time and time again with off the court struggles.
Why is Kevin Durant the player to model the league's image after? A couple of reasons come to mind.
First, he's humble, respectful, and a hard worker. These three attributes are some of the basic qualities every parent attempts to instill in their children.
Even though Durant has become more successful with each season he's played basketball, he remains just as humble, and works just as hard.
These traits help make Durant the perfect role model for kids.
Regardless of what athletes think, they are role models to millions of kids around the world, whether they try to be or not.
Their actions have a meaningful impact on the decisions that their fans and observers make.
Durant shows that it's possible to be very successful and still keep life in the proper perspective, while continuing to work hard and improve.
With the Oklahoma City Thunder primed for a deep playoff run this season, and many seasons to come in the near future, Durant is the perfect player for the NBA to market.
Durant won't tell you how great he is. He won't tell you he won the scoring title for the second consecutive season this year, or how he's one of the top three players in the NBA.
He doesn't have to tell you. When you watch him play, you understand what he means to his team.
You also don't need him to tell you what a great person he is either.
Just watch him at his locker reading a passage(s) from the bible before a game, hear about him playing Xbox with a young neighbor who lives near him, and watch him respect the game, his teammates and opponents, and everyone around him.
Kevin Durant gets it. He doesn't demand the spotlight, he doesn't bask in the glory of being an elite player being paid millions of dollars, he just works hard at the game he loves.
In a world where fame and money is glorified more than being a good person, Kevin Durant is an example of a person having fame and money, but still being a great human being, both on and off the court.
Whether or not you are a fan of him, or the Thunder, you have to admire Kevin Durant as a person, and a basketball player.
