Kevin Durant, a forward with the Phoenix Suns, is widely regarded as one of the most likeable NBA players. He is a modest young man who is gifted with incredible basketball skills. Durant is a representative of the league’s inclusive nature, in contrast to former players like Allen Iverson who alienated some fans. Also, if it’s important to you, rumor has it that he doesn’t have any tattoos.

Apparently, the last part isn’t totally true. Above, you can see Durant’s inked torso, as captured in a recent commercial photo shoot in China (via TBJ). A lot of today’s NBA players have tattoos, and he’s no exception. He, on the other hand, refrains from getting them on prominent areas of his body while he plays basketball.

Below is a photo from Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Memphis Grizzlies that gives us our first look at Durant’s tattoos. He appears to have gotten another tattoo since then.

Up close, the “W” on Durant’s stomach, which is in the manner of the Washington Nationals, appears to be an accessory. This is likely Durant’s way of taking pride in his city, because he is originally from the Washington, DC area. He was reared by two women: his grandmother and mother. The names “Barbara” and “Wanda” on his chest are tributes to them.

It’s easy to assume that Durant is attempting to widen his fan base by covering up his tattoos, but he might simply prefer to have them on his body rather than his arms or legs. Also, as basketball fans, we’ve come a long way from thinking that tattoos are always an indication of criminality. The most popular players in the league often have them, and they’re quite normal. Even though LeBron James has a lot of tattoos, the rumors that he’s a gang member have nothing to do with his marketing problems; rather, they stem from his title drought. The good news is that we no longer hold that viewpoint.

Whatever the situation may be, Durant’s ink shows that he isn’t as innocent as his fans would have you believe. His rebellious streak has been previously mentioned. Few would acknowledge it, yet he shares a lot more similarities with his fellow NBA players.