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Kevin Durant for the Houston Rockets.
Initially, there was concern about how Kevin Durant would gel with the Houston Rockets after they acquired him this offseason. On paper, it made so much sense, but after all, Alperen Şengün, the team’s best player in 2024-25, is only in his fifth season, while Durant is in his 18th. However, Durant has fit in perfectly on and off the court.
In fact, Durant has enjoyed the youthful energy his Rockets teammates have brought, especially Amen Thompson. After a dominating 121-95 win over the Sacramento Kings, Durant had some high praise for Thompson, saying, “When he can get off the glass and push, and make those spectacular plays by the rim, especially at home, you know the crowd feeds off it, we feed off it.”
There could have easily been some bumps in the road to start the season for the Rockets. At 37 years old, Durant is the oldest member of the starting lineup, while the other four are usually younger than 25. The age gap could have been an issue, but instead, Durant is clearly feeding off the youthful energy, leading the Rockets to a 14-5 start.
What Caused Kevin Durant To Praise Thompson
GettyKevin Durant #7 and Amen Thompson #1 high-fiving.
It’s not hard to see why Durant took time out of his post-game press conference to talk about Thompson and all he does for the Rockets. Beyond how he is playing right now, Thompson has already cemented himself as an elite defender, making the All-Defensive First Team in his second season. Now in his third season, Thompson has focused on offensive improvements.
In that win over the Kings, Thompson was outstanding. He had 20 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and a block. That has continued a fantastic season for Thompson, as he averages 17.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.
Durant himself was no slouch in that win, with 24 points and eight assists, but that is something we have come to expect of the future Hall-of-Famer. However, this has not yet become the status quo for Thompson. However, Thompson has often become the primary ball handler with Fred VanVleet out for the season. That has led to his assists improving from 3.8 last season to 5.3 through 19 games in 2025-26. Not to mention, he has gone from 14.1 points per game to 17.2.
Durant’s Impact on the Rockets and the Youth
GettyKevin Durant picking up Reed Sheppard.
After a disappointing finish last season, the Rockets needed to improve, especially on offense. The Rockets were fourth in defensive rating, but 13th in offensive rating in 2024-25. Then, in the playoffs, it was clear that their half-court offense needed some help, as it was an issue in a seven-game series loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Acquiring Durant has immediately reinvented the Rockets’ offense. An easy example of that is Durant is averaging 25 points per game, leading the team in scoring. However, Durant is elevating the Rockets’ offense outside of that. The Rockets are currently second in offensive rating, 8.3 points better than last season.
On top of that, Durant has been the leader the young players have needed. He obviously praised Thompson, but another player Durant is mentoring is Reed Sheppard. Sheppard was selected third overall in 2024 and had an uneventful rookie season. With VanVleet’s injury, Sheppard is having to fill a bigger role, and Durant has been one of his biggest supporters, pushing him to make impactful plays.
Jose Rohdin Jose Rohdin covers the NBA for Heavy. He has been covering the world of sports since 2018, focusing on the NBA, NFL, MLB, Soccer, College Basketball, and College Football. More about Jose Rohdin
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