Kevin Durant on the Rockets-Thunder opener: “Some storylines may not involve celebrating the game, or celebrating OKC and what they did last season. Some might involve me, which is unfortunate.”
In the opening game of the 2025-26 regular season, and in the return of the NBA on NBC television package for the first time in 23 years, the Houston Rockets visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
For the Thunder, it will be the night in which they receive championship rings and honor their 2025 NBA Finals triumph.
Watching from the sidelines will be Kevin Durant, who earned All-Star and Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors during his 10 seasons with the Thunder franchise. But his relationship with Oklahoma City fans hasn’t been on great terms since his 2016 free agency departure, and the drama surrounding that could be why the league and NBC chose Durant’s new team — the Rockets — as the Thunder’s opening-night opponent.
Given those dynamics, Kay Adams asked Durant about the upcoming matchup during Wednesday’s Up & Adams Show on FanDuel TV. With clearly mixed emotions, the future Hall of Famer replied:
I just think I’ve been around for so long that the storyline still has some type of legs. First game on a new broadcast (home). I don’t know whether to think it’s cool or not, but I know what it is. It should be a fun night, with OKC getting their rings. I’m in the building, hopefully they pan over to see my reaction.
Them getting their rings is the most important thing.
Adams followed up by asking how Durant would feel watching the Thunder celebrate an NBA Finals championship, which he never won during his Oklahoma City days.
I’m not happy or sad, or mad that I missed out, because I’ve won two championships (with the 2016-17 and 2017-18 Golden State Warriors). And this was like a decade ago (playing for the Thunder)
I just think there’s a lot of controversy surrounding my name in Oklahoma City. So, to celebrate the start of the season with that context and that floating around the game… I don’t know if it’s cool or not. Because on one hand, you are opening up the season, which is a privilege. I’m grateful to be playing on that night, and being the first game people see on the new broadcast (home).
But what storylines might come from this game, I have no clue. And some storylines may not involve celebrating the game, or celebrating OKC and what they did last season. Some might involve me, which is unfortunate.
Now 37 years old and still a perennial All-Star, the hope in Houston is that the offseason acquisition of Durant will allow the Rockets to challenge Oklahoma City for Western Conference supremacy.
With that in mind, a road victory over the defending champions on their ring night would further boost that optimism.
So, it’s a juicy local storyline as the new-look Rockets try to see how they measure up to the league’s gold standard. But nationally, the game’s primary narrative could be looking back at years past, rather than forward.
Durant’s complete interview can be viewed below. Later in the day, Durant will make his Houston debut in Wednesday’s home exhibition versus the Utah Jazz (7:00 p.m. Central tipoff, with the game televised on Space City Home Network and NBA League Pass).