NBA superstar KD appears to have picked his favorite D-backs player

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It was the third inning of the D-backs game against the Brewers on Monday night when one of his teammates told Corbin Carroll there was someone sitting in the front row next to the dugout wearing his No. 7 jersey.

“So I went and took a peek,” Carroll said.

OK, it wasn’t just someone, it was Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, one of the NBA’s top players.

“It looks like K.D. is turning into a big Corbin Carroll fan,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “I don’t think there’s anything cooler than that when you have one of the greatest basketball players of all time putting on your jersey. That never gets old, I’m sure.”

It definitely isn’t old for the 22-year-old Carroll, who grew up in Seattle attending Sonics games with his parents. Durant played one season for the Sonics in 2007-08 before the team moved to Oklahoma City, and Carroll has memories of it.

“Pretty cool,” Carroll said. “You know, I grew up walking to Sonics games in Seattle, so it was kind of a full circle moment for me. I was pretty young but, I mean, I remember walking to games with my family and I have a memory of being at Key Arena. You know, 7-year-old Corbin going and watching him play and now for him to be there watching us? That was pretty cool.”

Coincidentally, Carroll wore one of his Phoenix Suns shirts to the ballpark that day.

“Just trying to support the valley teams, right?” he said. “I don't know, the Cardinals have some work to do because I’m a pretty big Seahawks fan, but I think it's just cool to see the teams support each other.”

So, does that mean we might see Carroll at a Suns playoff game this spring sporting a Durant jersey?

“I'd love to,” he said with a big smile.

Lovullo has long gone out of his way to befriend the coaches of the other pro franchises in town, including Suns head coach Monty Williams.

“It's just a privilege and an honor to have those guys here,” Lovullo said. “What a thrill for someone like Corbin Carroll … to see that [K.D.] had his jersey on. That endorses us and it endorses a very, very good baseball player.”