HOUSTON — IT’S LATE on a muggy October evening, and Kevin Durant refuses to return to grips with actuality whereas heading for the exit on the Toyota Heart on the heels of his Rockets preseason debut, a 140-127 win over the Utah Jazz.
Coming into his nineteenth season, Durant has received MVP, two NBA championships and two Finals MVP awards to go along with 4 Olympic gold medals and 15 journeys to the NBA All-Star Sport. But at this stage of his profession, Durant doggedly pursues a aim he’ll by no means obtain.
Perfection.
“What you imply I by no means will?” Durant asks, half smiling.
Since Durant received his second ring with the Golden State Warriors in 2018, he has had stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns that got here to unceremonious exits. Six seasons later, Durant finds himself in what could be his finest — and ultimate — likelihood at profitable a 3rd ring.
Fifty days after the Rockets walked off their dwelling ground dejected within the wake of a Sport 7 loss to the Warriors within the first spherical of the 2024-25 playoffs, information broke that Houston and the Suns had agreed to a commerce in a deal involving seven groups that might ship Durant to the Rockets for Jalen Inexperienced, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 decide within the draft and 5 second-round picks.
The transfer immediately reworked Houston from a staff on the rise — it was coming off its first 50-win season since 2018-19 and has 10 gamers on the roster age 28 or youthful — to a contender with Durant powering the offensive engine. The veteran signed to a two-year, $90 million extension on Sunday that features a participant possibility for 2027-28.
“Kevin has at all times been an issue,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka advised ESPN. “He elevates our complete group.”
Durant, for his half, sees Houston as his finest likelihood at capturing a 3rd ring. However greater than that, he likes that this employees “lets me be me.”
“I will not persistently play excellent video games,” Durant stated. “However my soar shot is fairly stable. My handles are fairly stable. It is only a problem that I take pleasure in: perfecting one thing. Effectively, you will by no means be excellent. However making an attempt to get there within the small period of time that I’ve acquired left on this recreation, why not?”
Basic supervisor Rafael Stone sat in his glass-walled workplace on the Memorial Hermann Houston Rockets coaching middle overlooking his staff’s follow and contemplated whether or not the membership’s new star, who was set to make his Rockets debut the next evening, would ever attain his elusive aim.
“You possibly can’t,” Stone stated. “However you need to attempt. It is a actually good lesson for the way to method the sport for our youthful guys. He is very within the craft and really uninterested, at this stage, within the issues that come together with it.
“There are such a lot of issues that include being a star NBA participant. At this stage, the one he is most excited about by orders of magnitude is perfecting the craft. We’re fairly dedicated to preserving the principle factor the principle factor. So, we would like him to be the participant on the court docket that he may be. We’re not going to ask of him anything.”
Houston opened the preseason Oct. 6 in opposition to the Atlanta Hawks, and Durant watched from the bench in a gray hoodie because the Rockets captured a 122-113 win. An hour and 45 minutes earlier than tipoff that evening, Udoka introduced Durant would take the evening off.
Minutes later, the 37-year-old trotted onto the court docket in uniform, carrying mismatched socks and white tights and pulled the hood of a black sweatshirt over his head. Operating by a near-game-speed warmup, Durant missed his first three photographs from the nook earlier than flattening a number of in a row. For a number of minutes, he grunted audibly whereas swiftly altering course on crossover dribbles that was midrange buckets.
Durant wasn’t enjoying that evening, however inactivity wasn’t halting a chance to ply the commerce.
“That is my peaceable place,” he stated. “Attempting to excellent my craft.”
UDOKA QUICKLY GATHERED the Rockets within the wake of veteran Fred VanVleet’s season-ending torn proper ACL in late September and emphasised a degree the staff expects to show in 2025-26 with Durant taking a lead function.
The coach performed the staff a clip from the hip-hop cult traditional movie “Paid in Full.”
The principle character within the movie, Ace, suffers a gunshot wound to his head throughout a theft, leaving him considering whether or not to proceed his crew’s prison enterprise. Certainly one of Ace’s enterprise companions, Rico, desires the group to proceed.
Udoka noticed a parallel in VanVleet’s harm.
“Should you’ve seen the film ‘Paid in Full,’ he says, ‘[People] get shot day-after-day, B. You may be all proper,'” Udoka stated. “I confirmed that clip to the staff. I stated, ‘Folks get harm day-after-day. We’ll be all proper.’ We’ll work out a unique option to do it. That is the message. You have to determine it out, and we’re succesful. That is the place our depth and flexibility come into play. We are able to go a number of other ways: tremendous massive lineups, small lineups and all the things in between.”
Durant figures prominently in all these situations as an offensive facilitator within the absence of the membership’s veteran level guard. Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard and Alperen Sengun will take turns assuming the function, too.
Having performed for 5 franchises in 19 NBA seasons for a number of coaches, Durant appreciated Udoka’s confidence within the face of adverse circumstances. A number of inside the group credit score VanVleet, a 2022 All-Star, with enjoying a foundational function in constructing Houston’s tradition below Udoka.
“It simply reveals how in contact Ime is with sports activities, music, leisure, tradition; how he can join with the blokes on different issues outdoors of basketball,” Durant stated. “These messages in these films, these metaphors, they will help our staff. That is simply anyone that cares about his staff and is making an attempt to make use of distinctive methods to get messages by to the blokes.”
As a participant, Udoka typically drew the duty of guarding Durant. Head-to-head, Udoka and Durant completed deadlocked at 5-5 in regular-season video games. As soon as Udoka joined Corridor of Fame coach Gregg Popovich’s Spurs employees in 2012, he discovered himself devising recreation plans to cease Durant.
When Durant agreed in 2016 to hitch the Golden State Warriors, Udoka was a part of the San Antonio contingent within the Hamptons recruiting the ahead, who took a gathering with the Spurs out of respect for Popovich.
Udoka additionally coached Durant with Workforce USA. They’d lastly be a part of forces within the NBA throughout the 2020-21 season whereas Udoka labored in Brooklyn as an assistant below Steve Nash.
Durant described the transfer to Texas as “natural.”
“We all know who he’s and we’re additionally not asking him to be one thing he isn’t,” Udoka stated. “We perceive the best way that he leads just isn’t how all people might favor him to. However we perceive the significance of his on a regular basis method, his professionalism, work ethic, and all these issues rub off on a younger group of fellows. They need you to be a sure manner, vocal or no matter. He talks greater than folks assume. He isn’t a rah-rah man out in entrance of all the things. However a few of the people who have probably the most profound phrases are those who say much less and say issues on the proper time.”
Durant’s consolation and familiarity prolong past the ties with Udoka, who enters his third season on the helm in Houston. College of Texas teammate and shut buddy Dexter Pittman works on the Rockets’ employees as an intern, and former Longhorn teammate D.J. Augustin holds a task within the entrance workplace.
Durant’s shut buddy Royal Ivey, who additionally performed at Texas and was Durant’s teammate on the Thunder, is a Rockets assistant.
“There’s numerous Longhorns within the constructing I assume,” Udoka advised ESPN.
Rockets veteran Jeff Inexperienced, 39, entered the league in 2007 with Durant as a Seattle SuperSonic, they usually additionally performed collectively in Brooklyn and Oklahoma Metropolis. Massive man Steven Adams was a Thunder teammate of Durant’s for 3 seasons, and capturing guard Josh Okogie performed with the 2013-14 MVP in Phoenix.
Inexperienced stated Durant hasn’t modified.
“It was a brand new world for each of us again then, and we acquired to expertise that collectively,” Inexperienced stated. “We had been at all times collectively, spent numerous time collectively out and in of the health club. I at all times inform people who he is stayed true to himself. He is by no means tried to be anyone he isn’t. Folks get it misunderstood about who he’s as a result of how he is portrayed within the media. I feel that is somewhat unfair. However Kevin has at all times saved to himself, put his head down, and let the basketball do the speaking. He is a workaholic. And he is been an in depth, shut buddy, a brother of mine since day one.”
TWO DAYS AFTER Golden State’s Buddy Hield dropped 33 factors in Sport 7 to get rid of Houston on its dwelling ground within the first spherical of the playoffs, Udoka and Stone strolled aspect by aspect into an empty follow health club at Toyota Heart seemingly content material to run it again this season with that very same staff.
Arms folded in a cream sweater sitting to Udoka’s left, Stone appeared resolute.
“I provides you with an inside betting tip that I feel continuity could be very, very doubtless,” he stated Might 6.
Then, unexpectedly, it wasn’t due to Phoenix’s steadily sinking asking worth over the summer time for a generational expertise in Durant. In a way, Houston was chasing perfection, too, at the price of draft picks and a pair of its tradition builders in Jalen Inexperienced and Brooks.
Because the No. 2 seed within the West final season, Houston dripped confidence heading into its opening-round sequence in opposition to the seventh-seeded Warriors. Nonetheless, the query lingered internally of whether or not the Rockets wanted to amass an offensive engine to vault themselves to the following degree. The postseason would function the final word proving floor for Houston’s younger gamers.
Jalen Inexperienced held his personal because the Rockets’ main scorer all through the common season, averaging 21 factors with Sengun including 19.1 factors, adopted by VanVleet and Thompson at 14.1 factors apiece. However over the 4 losses in that first-round sequence, Inexperienced averaged 8 factors on 13-of-42 capturing for a Houston staff that failed to achieve the century mark in three of these contests.
VanVleet and Sengun raised their scoring averages to twenty.9 factors and 18.7 factors, respectively, in that sequence. However that wasn’t sufficient to hold Houston previous a veteran-laden Warriors squad led by Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry.
Even after the frustration of the first-round exit, “no one was making an attempt to maneuver guys,” Stone advised ESPN, as a result of the group believed it might nonetheless realistically chase titles because the younger roster developed.
“If Kevin did not need to come and wasn’t obtainable, we’d’ve been high quality coming again with the identical staff,” Udoka stated. “We went into the playoffs trying on the massive image, like, ‘Let’s have a look at what we have got with our younger guys.’ The plan was to win that sequence and get extra expertise. However as soon as we did not and had been dissatisfied by it, we nonetheless took the positives from it and the plan was to return again with that very same group.”
Durant’s availability modified all the things.
“Jalen and Dillon, we love these guys,” Stone stated. “Everyone does. Not a single individual on this staff felt they wanted to be moved out. And also you’re by no means making an attempt to present away the tenth decide of the draft as a result of that is nonetheless a extremely good participant. We did it due to the chance. Kevin’s a really distinctive participant. His archetype is exclusive. He is this high-volume environment friendly scorer who would not should have the ball in his fingers 24-7. In that sense, he is sort of a unicorn. He is additionally a two-way participant. There simply aren’t a complete lot of Kevin Durants. We’ll simply should see how he in the end matches.”
Houston ranked twenty seventh final season in efficient discipline aim share (43.8%) on off-the-dribble jumpers, in line with GeniusIQ, and twenty fourth in efficient discipline aim share on all jumpers. Durant knocked down 50.9% of his off-the-dribble soar photographs final season, good for second finest in a season since participant monitoring started in 2013-14. His 49.7% on all jumpers that season ranked finest within the NBA for gamers with a minimal of fifty such makes an attempt, in line with Genius IQ.
One of the crucial harmful iso gamers within the league, Durant additionally led the NBA final season in factors per direct isolation amongst gamers to execute not less than 200 isolations. The Rockets completed final season ranked seventh in isolations per recreation however twenty seventh in factors per direct isolation, in line with ESPN Analysis.
Together with the common season and playoffs, Durant has related on 82 tying or go-ahead photographs within the ultimate minute of the fourth quarter or additional time, in line with ESPN Analysis. That ranks No. 3 since play-by-play knowledge was first tracked (1996-97), trailing LeBron James (111) and Kobe Bryant (101).
“Since I acquired right here, we have taken jumps from 22 to 41 wins, after which 52 final 12 months,” Udoka stated. “You are enjoying to win. You are enjoying to advance within the playoffs and do some issues for the primary time. Effectively, the expectation goes manner up if you get a participant like Kevin right here.”
DURANT’S QUEST FOR perfection seemingly disintegrated simply 27 seconds into his preseason debut in Houston, when he fell to the ground after a 16-footer over Jusuf Nurkic rimmed out. Fifty-six seconds later, Durant squeezed previous a display screen set by Sengun, just for his 7-footer to clang off the fitting aspect of the rim.
Durant missed his first three photographs as Utah constructed a fast 10-point lead.
“It is at all times a steadiness each recreation making an attempt to determine the place I can inject myself into the offense and protection,” he stated. “I really feel like I acquired some beauty early on, they usually rimmed out and in. I simply stayed affected person and knew if these photographs got here round once more, I might be extra centered and knock them down.”
Durant drilled his subsequent seven photographs to complete with a team-high 20 factors on 7-of-10 capturing with two rebounds, one help and a steal in 23 minutes. Perfection ultimately arrived after an imperfect begin.
5 days later in Birmingham, Alabama, Durant snagged two rebounds earlier than even taking his first shot — a miss — practically 5 minutes right into a 130-128 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He missed his first 4 makes an attempt earlier than connecting on 4 of 5 within the second quarter for 10 factors on the best way to ending with 15 factors.
Apparently, Durant began that recreation at guard in a big beginning lineup that additionally featured Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Sengun and Adams. The final time Durant began at guard within the common season was Jan. 9, 2009, coincidentally in opposition to the Rockets, in line with ESPN Analysis.
Like all people else, Udoka understands Durant won’t ever excellent the craft of basketball, irrespective of how exhausting he tries. However the coach believes teammates will ultimately be a part of Durant in these efforts.
That is a part of the explanation the staff traded for Durant.
“No, he will not ever be excellent. However that love for the sport is what it is all about,” Udoka stated. “He simply has an old-school mentality with regards to hooping. You like that about anyone who has completed as a lot as he has, that he isn’t glad. He desires to proceed to construct and develop. That is what drives him. You possibly can inform day-after-day he involves the health club he is going 100%, which isn’t at all times the case with folks. There are particular people who chase the limelight and all the things else. He isn’t that.”
Throughout their time collectively in Brooklyn and with Workforce USA, Udoka watched gamers marvel day-after-day at Durant’s particular person exercises at full recreation velocity after lengthy, grueling full-team practices. Simply as Durant would begin to transition into his particular person exercise, “you’d see all the blokes watching and numerous them had been seeing this for the primary time,” Udoka advised ESPN.
Rely third-year veteran Thompson among the many newest to witness Durant’s rigorous routine.
“The most effective factor I’ve discovered from KD is simply his work ethic,” Thompson stated throughout the cooldown portion of a Rockets coaching camp exercise. “Generally, I’d assume I am going exhausting. Then, you watch KD. He is rattling close to 40 and he is going tougher. He is going tremendous exhausting. He is like [at] recreation velocity. I attempt to incorporate that in my stuff even after I’m not figuring out with him. I am simply doing recreation [speed] reps as a result of that is what he does.”
Strolling down the corridor alone at Toyota Heart after his Rockets preseason debut, Durant briefly stopped as Udoka tapped the ahead on the left shoulder to congratulate him for a job properly finished.
On this heat evening in Houston, hope hangs heavy within the thick air as summer time transitions into fall. Having already participated in two ring ceremonies with the Warriors, Durant desires the main target Tuesday to be on the Thunder coming off their first championship, not his return to Oklahoma Metropolis.
Durant figures his journey towards perfection lastly ends in Houston.
“I can see myself retiring right here and being a Rocket till it is over with,” Durant stated. “And I hate saying this. I do not know what is going on to occur on down the road. However as of in the present day, yeah, that is how I really feel. I simply really feel like I am at a superb level in my profession the place I do know what I do is efficient on the court docket. Why not attempt to hold getting higher at it, hold sustaining and hold specializing in new issues to get higher?”