Kevin Durant reminds us in an often cold business that superstars are people too
- - Kevin Durant reminds us in an often cold business that superstars are people too
Kelly IkoJanuary 6, 2026 at 3:01 AM
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Kevin Durant celebrates with teammate Amen Thompson after hitting the game-winning shot against the Phoenix Suns at Toyota Center on Jan. 5, 2026, in Houston. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) (Alex Slitz via Getty Images)
HOUSTON — Moments after draining a 27-foot game-winning shot over his former Suns teammates, Rockets veteran superstar forward Kevin Durant found it difficult to contain his emotions. The pleasantries exchanged after the final buzzer indicated the existence of bonds that still remained between Durant and his old colleagues, but the raw emotion of the moment — or more importantly, what it represented — took over.
KEVIN DURANT HITS THE CLUTCH 3 TO WIN IT FOR HOUSTON 🚨 pic.twitter.com/1lC1qjT0Ok
— NBA (@NBA) January 6, 2026
"I don't mean to sound too dramatic, but I will,” Durant said following his 26-point, 10-rebound performance in a 100-97 win on Monday night. “To be kicked out of a place and I felt like I'd been scapegoated for the issues we had as a team last year, yeah it felt good to beat them and hit a game-winning shot.”
Durant’s blunt honesty, delivered in an almost satirical fashion, cut through the room like a knife, all while reminding us of the other side we don’t see often. The fast-paced nature of the NBA — and the business of basketball, to some degree — routinely eschews personal feelings in lieu of the overarching structure of the sport. Our brains are wired to the transactional roller coaster the game brings, obsessed with trade talk, free agency and mass upheaval.
But far too often, we forget that for as much fun as it is to drum up fake trades and hypotheticals, these players are living out their lives in front of us — with real feelings and experiences. The NBA is the great equalizer, from the two-way late roster addition to the future Hall of Famer with one of the most decorated resumes in basketball history. Regardless of how Durant eventually found his way to Houston, it was evident the Suns, despite the fiasco that their 2024-25 campaign was, were comfortable with a future without Durant.
“It hurt because I put all my effort, love and care towards the Suns and Phoenix area,” Durant added. “But that’s just the business. That’s the name of the game. So when you play against a team, you got a chip on your shoulder. In the back of my mind it’s there. Nothing but love for the players, but I want to beat that team.”
Durant’s leadership and poise are especially needed in moments like this. The Rockets will be without starting center Alperen Şengün for at least two weeks after the Turkish big man rolled his right ankle against Dallas over the weekend. But Houston’s issues with their crunchtime execution have been well-documented, still with a 7-9 clutch record and a -9.7 net rating, per Second Spectrum. Head coach Ime Udoka has routinely expressed his satisfaction with how Durant approaches the game and closing moments, seeking out the best play instead of his own. But Monday night was a gentle reminder that perhaps one of the NBA’s best finishers should have the ball in his hands with the game on the line.
“We wanted to get him the ball at the right spot,” Udoka said. “We want to keep it simple, not do too much where they can deny or take something away. Get him open to his spot. He said it felt good as soon as he let it go.”
With the win, Houston has now won five out of their last six games and are just two games out of second place in the Western Conference. An important upcoming road trip with two games in Portland and Sacramento could set up the Rockets for a big homestand to kickstart the new year.
However things shake out, it is all a reminder of Durant’s immense talent and what his presence means for the Rockets. And that superstars are people too.
Source: “AOL Sports”
