Basketball fans love a good villain, or at least a good scapegoat. For years, the conversation around Kevin Durant has been stuck in a loop about "loyalty" and "superteams."
It’s kinda exhausting, honestly.
If you actually look at what he’s doing right now in 2026, the narrative feels incredibly dated. At 37 years old, playing for the Houston Rockets, Durant isn't just "hanging on." He's still carving people up. Just a few days ago, on January 9, 2026, he officially passed Wilt Chamberlain to move into 7th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Think about that for a second. Passing Wilt. That’s legendary territory, yet people still want to talk about his move to Golden State in 2016.
He’s currently averaging about 26.2 points per game. Most guys his age are either retired or playing fifteen minutes a night as a "locker room presence." Not KD.
Kevin Durant and the Art of the Pure Bucket
There is this weird misconception that Durant’s game is all about his height. Sure, being a 7-footer with a 7-foot-5 wingspan helps. But plenty of tall guys in the NBA can't dribble without looking like a baby giraffe on ice. Durant is different. He’s basically a glitch in the Matrix.
He plays like a shooting guard in a center's body.
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His efficiency is what really trips people up. This season, he’s still flirting with those 50-40-90 shooting splits. It's metronomic. Whether he's in Oklahoma City, Oakland, Brooklyn, Phoenix, or now Houston, the jumper stays the same. High release. Minimal effort. Pure splash.
Why Houston Works (Sorta)
The trade to the Rockets in July 2025 was a shocker. A seven-team blockbuster that felt like a fever dream. Many critics thought he was just chasing another paycheck or a "young" team to carry him.
The reality? Houston needed a closer.
They have all these young athletes like Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun, but when the clock hits two minutes in the fourth, you don't want a "project." You want a guy who has been there. Recently, in a tight game against the Suns, he hit a game-winning triple that reminded everyone why he's still a max-salary player. He's making over $54 million this season. That’s a lot of pressure, but he seems to thrive when the spacing is right.
When the Rockets play "double big" with Steven Adams and Sengun, things get cramped. But when KD slides to the four? It's over.
The Business of Being KD
Most people don't realize how much of a mogul he’s become off the court. We’re talking about a net worth pushing $300 million. It’s not just the Nike lifetime deal—though that $300 million contract definitely helps.
He’s invested in everything through 35 Ventures.
- Fintech like Robinhood.
- Crypto (Coinbase).
- Even a pro soccer team in France (PSG).
And now, he’s opening a massive venue called the Austin Sports Club in Texas this year. It's supposed to be this high-end mix of a restaurant and a social club for "modern athletes and tastemakers." It shows he’s thinking way beyond the final buzzer. He’s building an empire with his partner Rich Kleiman that makes his basketball salary look like pocket change.
What the Haters Miss
The "Slim Reaper" tag is cool, but his real legacy is his resilience. Everyone points to the Achilles tear in 2019 as the moment he should have declined. Instead, he came back and won two more Olympic gold medals. He now has four. No other male basketball player in history has done that.
He’s the greatest Olympic scorer the U.S. has ever produced. Period.
People say he "needs" a team to win. But basketball is a team sport. LeBron needed D-Wade. Jordan needed Pippen. KD just happened to pick the best team available in 2016, and fans never forgave him for making the "smart" business move.
Is he sensitive? Maybe. He’s famous for his "burner" accounts and arguing with fans on X. But honestly? It’s kinda refreshing. In an era of polished PR statements and corporate-speak, Durant is actually himself. He just wants to hoop.
The Road Ahead
So, what’s left?
He’s chasing Dirk Nowitzki for the #6 spot on the scoring list. He’ll probably get there before the All-Star break. After that, it’s Wilt, Jordan, Kobe, Malone, Kareem, and LeBron. It’s a short list.
If you want to truly appreciate what you’re watching, stop looking at the jersey and look at the footwork. Watch how he navigates a screen. Notice how he uses his length on defense—he’s still a sneaky-good rim protector.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Watch the Rockets’ late-game execution: Notice how the offense shifts entirely to Durant in the final four minutes. It’s a masterclass in "ISO" ball that actually works.
- Check out Boardroom: If you’re into the business side of sports, Durant’s media company is actually putting out some of the best deep-dives on how athletes are making money today.
- Keep an eye on the standings: Houston is hovering around the 6th seed in the West. If they make a deep run, the "can't win without Steph" talk might finally, mercifully, die out.
He’s 37. We don’t have many of these games left. Don't spend them arguing about 2016.