Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant was genuinely surprised when his longtime teammate, Russell Westbrook, announced his retirement from the NBA back in August. After kicking off the preseason with a win over the Dallas Mavericks in China, KD told reporters on Friday that the news left him “a little sad.”
KD Mourns Westbrook’s Untapped Years While Looking Ahead
Durant, who spent eight seasons playing alongside Westbrook on the Oklahoma City Thunder, really believed Westbrook had more left in the tank. “I still thought Russ had five or six more years left,” Durant said. He recognized Westbrook’s “athletic body” that could still “impact the game positively.” But sometimes, as KD noted, players simply reach a point where they want to step away and try something new. He congratulated Westbrook on an “iconic career,” predicting Westbrook will bring the same work ethic to his next phase of life as he did to basketball. It’s clear that even for a legend like Durant, seeing a peer retire unexpectedly hits hard.
Westbrook, who is 37, called it quits after an impressive 18 seasons in the league. Last season, playing for the Sacramento Kings, he averaged 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game, logging 29 minutes a night. Those are still solid numbers for a veteran! His departure means this marks Durant’s first season without Westbrook in the league since KD’s own rookie year. Talk about the end of an era.
Durant Prepares for His Own Chapter 19 With High Stakes
Meanwhile, Durant himself, who turned 38 in September, is gearing up for his 19th NBA season. He’s signed through this season with the Rockets and has a player option for the 2027-28 season, which he has to decide on by next June. After averaging more than 36 minutes per night as a 78-game starter in his first season with the Rockets, Durant made it clear in September that he has no intention of reducing his minutes this year.
His main goal heading into his second season in Houston? Better injury luck. He missed most of the Rockets’ first-round series loss last spring, and you know that had to sting. With so many years already under his belt, every single game and every minute on the court counts for KD now, especially with that player option looming next summer. He’s still chasing greatness, and we’ll be watching every step of the way to see if he can stay healthy and lead the Rockets deep into the playoffs.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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