With fans locking in their bold predictions for the Houston Rockets' upcoming 2025-26 season, the regular season starts with a bang, with a contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder. While there are obvious storylines surrounding the Thunder and new Rockets star Kevin Durant, he would answer a question regarding his current connection to the franchise.
After practice ahead of the opener next Tuesday, a reporter would ask Durant, “Going back to OKC, are there any people in the arena, employees, anyone that you like to see when you go back to the arena?” This would lead to a straightforward response from Durant, and one that could disappoint fans of Oklahoma City.
“No,” Durant said plainly, according to Full Court Pass.
Reporter: Going back to OKC, are there any people in the arena, employees, anyone that you like to see when you go back to the arena?
Kevin Durant: No
(h/t @funakistats)pic.twitter.com/w9GalkDrtQ
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) October 18, 2025
In some ways, it could be understandable since Durant last played for the team in the 2015-16 season, now marking a decade since then. He's played for three different teams since the Thunder in the Golden State Warriors, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Phoenix Suns, before his next chapter with Houston.
Rockets' Kevin Durant speaks on personal goals
With Durant the focus of the Rockets and Thunder opener, the 37-year-old star has set goals for himself as he's still a top player in the NBA. Averaging close to 27 points per game last season with the Suns, Durant would be asked about his personal goals and spoke about the “standard” he has for himself, according to Rockets Wire.
“I’ve got a standard that I hold myself to, since I’ve been playing basketball,” Durant said. “I know what I bring to the table, and I know what I’ve been consistently doing for the past decade and a half. It’s just about being a great teammate every day, being coachable, making shots, and guarding my man, as simple as that is. I try to be at that level every night.”
In terms of his statistics, there could be a discussion about whether he will reach last year's numbers, which averaged 26.6 points, six rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 52.7 percent from the field and 43 percent from deep. It remains to be seen, but the first outing for Durant with his new team in the regular season is on Oct. 21 against his former team in the Thunder.
