The Rockets teammates test their chemistry in a friendly NBA 2K26 showdown, mixing competition, banter, and respect.
Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson are used to making plays together on the court in Houston. But on this particular day, the Rockets teammates sat side by side in front of a TV, controllers in hand, ready to see who runs the show in NBA 2K26.
Before the trash talk started flowing, there was genuine excitement in the room. Durant, now the veteran superstar in Houston, talked about how smooth his transition to the Rockets has been since signing with the team over the summer. The first couple of weeks of the season, he said, have already featured close games that forced the group to grow tighter.
For Thompson, sharing a locker room and a virtual court with Durant still feels surreal. He called KD a “legend,” and the third-year Rocket admitted he’d never played with someone on that level before. The learning curve has been steep in the best way. What’s stood out most, he said, is Durant’s work ethic: Every rep is game speed, every detail matters.
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Even on the sticks, KD approaches things like a perfectionist.
From there, the conversation bounced between gameplay and real life. Both hoopers have been playing 2K for most of their lives – Thompson since 2K10 with Kobe Bryant on the cover, Durant all the way back to the original 2K with Allen Iverson. They reminisced about childhood fantasy drafts, broken controllers, and family tension when games got too competitive. Durant admitted he once had to check himself after nearly breaking a TV: “I was like, you know what? I’m getting too mad over 2K. Let me just corral this.”
On NBA 2K26 itself, the teammates agreed that shooting feels smoother and faster this year, especially in the Park. Durant shouted out how accurately 2K captures player signatures and movements, saying he feels like his in-game self mirrors his real on-court style. He also praised the deeper integration of the WNBA, including W cards in MyTeam, calling it a step in the right direction for the game and the sport.
When they finally squared off head-to-head, Durant leaned into classic teams and star power, while Thompson chased athleticism and rim attacks. The banter got louder as the game tightened – accusations of lag, defensive breakdowns, and improvised double-teams on virtual LeBron James. Amen called his shot before they even sat down, and when he pulled out the win, he didn’t exactly play humble. Durant, unfazed, framed it like a long season: “We got 81 more games to play.”
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Beyond the jokes, their 2K battle offered a glimpse into the Rockets’ dynamic. Durant brings reliability, leadership, and decades of NBA and gaming experience. Thompson brings youthful energy, curiosity, and a hunger to learn. Whether it’s at the Toyota Center or in NBA 2K26, Houston’s new era is being built through competition, conversation, and a shared love of every form of the game.
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