A special bond with Oklahoma City
Kevin Durant has opened up about his eight seasons playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He joined the team in July 2008 as a 19 year old player after being selected second overall in the 2007 draft by the Seattle SuperSonics.
Durant recalled how warm the fans were when he arrived. He explained that the region was waiting for a professional sports team. He felt right at home early on because the crowd brought strong energy to every home game.
From finals heartbreaks to a new era
Durant led Oklahoma City to the NBA Finals in 2012 alongside Russell Westbrook and James Harden. They lost that series to the Miami Heat. All three players eventually became league MVPs and moved on to other teams. Durant left in 2016 for Golden State, where he won consecutive titles and Finals MVPs.
The Thunder eventually won the 2025 NBA title. Now a 19 year veteran in his second season with the Houston Rockets, Durant expressed gratitude for helping kick start the franchise. He admitted that he still has a soft spot in his heart for the state.
Community spirit and fan support
Durant explained that general manager Sam Presti introduced the players to the local history. Taking the team to the site of the Oklahoma City bombing made playing for the town much more meaningful to him.
He noted that Oklahoma City felt different from bigger markets. Fans were standing during warmups and created a family atmosphere. Durant said he embodied the disciplined, hard working culture every single day during his time there.
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