Kevin Durant: Why OKC Thunder Superstar Is Perfect Player to Be Face of the NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant loves playing basketball, and that is exactly what the NBA needs.

After KD recently lit up Rucker Park for an unbelievable 66 points in a summer league game, only to follow it up with another lights-out performance while dropping 41 at a Nike Pro-City event, the Durantula fever has only started to heat up.

When Durant came into the league as the second overall draft pick of the Seattle SuperSonics in 2007, his ability to score was never in question.

However, there were concerns as to whether or not he'd be able to hack it on the wing because of his wiry frame.

It's safe to say that those concerns have been quelled fairly thoroughly.

In his first four seasons in the league, Durant has averaged 25.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.

That's what I'd call making an impact.

Durant has catapulted the Thunder out of the cellar and right into the forefront of the Western Conference, and they're currently one of the most promising teams in the league, with the potential to succeed for a very long time.

When KD signed a five-year extension in the summer of 2010 with Oklahoma City, he didn't do it by making waves in the media. He didn't seek the most lucrative deal he could find.

Instead, he embodied professionalism and class, and became a harbinger of what all professional athletes in the NBA should strive to be.

On the heels of the announced agreement between the two sides, Durant's agent, Aaron Goodwin, summed up the forward's attitude toward his employers very appropriately, saying, "Kevin wanted to make this commitment to the Thunder because he and his family are very appreciative of the commitment that the Thunder have made to him."

That is simply not something that we're used to hearing from players and their agents, and frankly, it was music to my ears.

Durant isn't concerned about collecting as many millions as possible to add to his bank account, but rather remains solely focused on growing as a superstar in the league.

After his sensational game at Rucker Park that turned him into an instant YouTube sensation, the following day, Durant followed it up with a perfectly appropriate Tweet, which said, "I just like to play basketball...cant hate on that.."

And that's exactly why Durant is the face that the NBA needs to lead it moving forward into the future.

The extraordinary talent doesn't play for any reason except for one: he absolutely loves the game of basketball.

Durant is one of the lucky ones in the world that can truly say that he's turned his passion into a profession, and he's dominating the competition along the way to achieve all of his goals.

At just 22 years old, Durant is coming off of back-to-back campaigns as the NBA's scoring leader, and his potential still remains absolutely off the charts.

It's really difficult to find a reason to root against Durant, simply because there isn't a good one.

He doesn't talk the talk that others do, but instead just goes about his business and delivers one astounding performance after another.

I can't wait to see what else he'll be able to pull out of his backpack as he asserts himself as the lead man in the league.