Kevin Durant takes positives from every stop on his NBA journey

Kevin Durant, now with the Houston Rockets after a July trade from the Phoenix Suns, shared his excitement about finally wearing custom cowboy boots and a hat he purchased in Texas last February, coinciding with his move to Houston. In his Rockets debut, a 125-124 double-overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Durant contributed 23 points, nine rebounds, and three assists but fouled out, while Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 35 points secured the win on their championship celebration night.

Despite the loss, Durant praised Rockets center Alperen Sengun, who delivered a dominant performance with 39 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and five 3-pointers in 39 minutes, suggesting the Rockets could challenge top teams. However, Durant downplayed immediate title expectations, emphasizing the need to focus on improving offense and defense game by game rather than looking ahead to playoffs or championships.

Reflecting on his time with the Suns, Durant expressed no ill will, stating he enjoyed playing in Phoenix and remains positive about his NBA journey, having played for five franchises. He highlighted the appeal of joining the Rockets, including reuniting with head coach Ime Udoka from their USA Basketball days and teaming up with players like Sengun, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, and former Thunder teammate Steven Adams, positioning the Rockets as a potential title contender with his addition.