Kevin Durant will make his Houston Rockets debut against one of his former teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder, on Tuesday night.
The Thunder is where it all started for Durant, and he gets a crack at his first NBA organization on the night they will raise their championship banner.
During his nearly decade with the Thunder, Durant appeared in 641 games. He shot the ball at a 48 percent clip from the field and knocked down 38 percent of his threes. The veteran averaged 27.4 points per game, while coming down with 7.0 rebounds, and dishing out 3.7 assists per game.
Oct 16, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) warms up prior to the game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Will the former MVP be out on the court to see the event take place? It’s unclear. But the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year suggests that Durant should consider being out there to avoid the blowback.
“You know good and well that Kevin Durant can’t sit in the locker room for this one. It will be blown out of proportion,” Williams said on FanDuelTV’s Run It Back.
Chandler Parsons, one of Williams’ co-hosts, dished in his thoughts as well.
“It’s a bad look if Kevin Durant is not out there watching,” said Parsons. “But at the end of the day, he’s trying to get ready for opening night on his new team. So, it’s hard to judge it now, but I don’t think there’s any ill-will there.”
“It’s a bad look if Kevin Durant is not out there watching (the Thunder raise their banner). But at the end of the day, he’s trying to get ready for opening night on his new team.” – @ChandlerParsons
Will KD be watching his former team celebrate a championship tonight? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/MNpBXcR6aZ
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) October 21, 2025
In the event Durant doesn’t watch the banner get raised in OKC, it shouldn’t be viewed as a petty thing. Sure, Durant spent eight seasons with the Thunder, without a ring to show for, but the veteran forward hasn’t had any negative statements aimed at Oklahoma City.
Plus, Durant has two championships of his own. When he left the Thunder for the Golden State Warriors in 2016, Durant won the NBA Finals the following year. The Warriors repeated as champions in 2018.
Oct 8, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts after a play during the second quarter against the Utah Jazz at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
If Durant were returning to his former organization ringless, maybe that would have a different effect. In this case, Durant is one of the most accomplished active players in the game. His focus will be on getting off to a successful start with the Rockets, who he joined for the first time via trade this past summer.
Last year, Durant wrapped up his third and final season with the Phoenix Suns. He appeared in 62 games, averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. The veteran forward shot 52 percent from the field and knocked down 43 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.
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