Mark Jackson Calls Kevin Durant a Role Model

By “everybody,” I seriously mean (almost) everybody.

Prior to the Golden State Warriors’ loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Warriors head coach Mark Jackson essentially called Durant a role model.

Coach Mark Jackson: “When I look at Kevin Durant, you look at a guy you want to point your kids to and say ‘That’s how you carry yourself.’”

— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) April 12, 2013

So much for that bad-guy persona, eh?

Durant has spent much of the season attempting to erase his nice-guy reputation. He’s become more colorful on the court and is currently tied for the third-most technicals in the league (12). He had just 12 through his first five seasons combined.

Toss in the Durantula’s first career ejection in January of this year and his “KD Isn’t Nice” campaign with Nike, and you have a full-fledged hooligan, a bad boy. Not someone you want your kids to look up to.

Did everyone else not believe that? Okay, good.

No matter how hard Durant tries, he will never be considered the same kind of villain that some of his peers, like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, are perceived to be. From an award-winning smile to kissing old ladies whom he accidentally hits with basketballs, the kid is just too nice.

Which is awesome.

Very few superstars garner the amount of positive press that Durant does. He’s a dedicated competitor, but also a humble human being. All, or rather most athletes have some sense of humility, but Durant’s just shines through more. It’s impossible to look at him and not see greatness both in the way he carries himself on and off the court.

Knowing that, can we really blame Jackson? Or anyone else who is smitten with one of the best pure scorers the game has ever seen?

Of course not.

While he’s tried to redefine himself (even if as a joke), he’s truly changing everything we know about confidence and swagger. He’s one of the only players in the NBA who exudes such qualities without coming off as arrogant or ignorant. Ever. He’s just so down to earth.

As for that mean streak of his? That just makes us adore him even more. When he gets a technical or thrown out of the game, it humanizes him. It shows his imperfections as a person, but fierce personality as a competitor. And those displays of imperfections aid in constructing the perfect idol.

Opposing defenses will always hate Durant for the way he rips the ball through the bottom of the net, and rocks the living hell out of the rim. Deep down, though, no one legitimately hates him. You can’t. It’s actually impossible.

If anything, you admire him. He’s someone you want your kids to look up and aspire to.

But don’t take my word for it. Just ask around. And be sure to start with Mark Jackson.