“If Kevin Durant was mean, he could average 40 points” - 3x Sixth Man of the Year says Durant gives "real emotion every single time," says he cares about people

Kevin Durant is in the spotlight after his recent trade request to leave the Brooklyn Nets. While some have criticized Durant for his time in Brooklyn ending, former NBA player Jamal Crawford praised the former MVP for his emotional and caring nature.

Crawford had one of the longest careers in NBA history (20 years), so he has had the opportunity to play with and against many players. The former LA Clippers guard believes Durant plays with real emotions.

On "The VC Show," Crawford spoke about what Durant is like as a teammate and a person:

"He's someone who cares about people. If Kevin Durant was mean, he could average 40 points. But he averages 30 because it's the right way to do things. He's always thinking about others first. People like, 'He's too emotional. He's too sensitive.' Nah, he's real. He's giving you real emotion every single time. I would say he's one of the realest."

While Durant has been criticized for being fake and a snake, Crawford believes the opposite. Calling Durant "one of the realest" would not mean much to most players, but Crawford has been around long enough to know the difference.

Crawford, who played for nine teams and was Sixth Man of the Year three times, has played with elite talents who can score at or near the level of Durant. Crawford showed the ability to achieve at a high level when necessary, but he was willing to take a backseat as a sixth man.

Durant's caring nature is similar to Crawford's. Durant has shown his more emotional side to his teammates and family over the years.

Kevin Durant's emotions and caring nature have shown up before

Durant's emotional side came out during his championship win with the Golden State Warriors.

In sports, genuine emotions emerge from players when they win significant awards and championships. Even the calmest and most collected athletes become emotional when they achieve substantial accolades.

One of the iconic moments in Kevin Durant's career came when he won his MVP award and thanked the people who made it possible.

Durant's MVP speech was one of the most authentic and rawest moments of his career and is a memorable moment in NBA history.

If Durant leaves the Brooklyn Nets for another team, it will be interesting to see if this side of him returns. If Durant does begin to show more of his "realness," more people may agree with Jamal Crawford.